AN independent investigation to uncover whether staff at Colchester's hospitals have a case to answer over the cancer scandal has begun.

The probe will establish whether individuals should face accusations they either changed patients records or failed to respond proper to whistleblowers' concerns.

It was commissioned by Colchester Hospitals Trust chairman Dr Sally Irvine after the Care Quality Commission found evidence cancer patient records had been tampered to meet waiting times targets.

The investigation, which began on Friday, is led jointly by Pat Troop, former Deputy Chief Medical Officer of England, and Carole Taylor-Brown, former chief executive of NHS Suffolk and former Chair of the Anglia Cancer Network.

The terms of reference of the review, agreed by Monitor, also include the effectiveness of its whistleblowing policy, what the board was told and what lessons can be learnt.

It will specifically look at an internal investigation carried out in February 2012 after concerns were first raised.

Witnesses from all levels of the hospital will be asked to give evidence.

The report will be sent to Dr Irvine who, with non-executive directors and Monitor, will decide what actions should be taken.

It will run alongside a separate inquiry by Essex Police.

Dr Irvine said: admitted the CQC report "raises questions at the highest executive and management levels of the trust".

She said: “The investigation has been asked to get to the bottom of who knew what, when they knew it and what they did – or did not do – about it.

“This will be a far-reaching and detailed investigation but because of the urgency of the situation, I have asked for it to be completed as soon as possible.”