A FORMER hospital chief executive has been appointed an Improvement Director to Colchester's scandal-hit hospitals.

Mark Davies, former chief executive officer of Imperial College Healthcare and Hammersmith and St Mary's Hospitals, has been appointed to the role by health sector regulator Monitor.

He willl provide support to Colchester Hospital University Foundation Trust but is employed by Monitor and will hold the trust accountable for making progress towards securing good quality care.

Last month, an NHS England report found several cancer services and pathways were unsafe.

The review followed accusations published by the Care Quality Commission that staff had been bullied into changing patient records to hide the fact cancer targets were being missed.

Mr Davies has 24 years NHS leadership experience and has been the CEO in seven NHS trusts, most recently at Imperial College Healthcare.

Adam Cayley, regional director at Monitor said: "Mark Davies brings extensive NHS experience to this role, in particular a track record of successfully leading some of the most challenged organisations in England."

A series of reviews into the cancer scandal and the trust's leadership by Essex Police, Monitor and NHS England are ongoing.