The new Chief Executive of Addenbrooke’s Hospital was appointed yesterday following the resignation of his predecessor just before the hospital was put into special measures.

Roland Sinker, who previously served at King’s College Hospital in London, will take up the post next month, replacing Dr Keith McNeil, who quit a week before a Care Quality Commission report rated the hospital “inadequate”.

Sinker has worked in senior operational roles in the NHS for ten years, most recently working to turn around King’s College Hospital.

He joins Addenbrooke’s alongside Sir Ron Kerr, previously Chief Executive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, who joins part time alongside his current duties as Executive Vice Chairman of Guy’s and St Thomas’.

Jane Ramsey, chair of Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said she was “delighted” to welcome Sinker and Kerr on board.

Labour MP for Cambridge, Daniel Zeichner, welcomed the news, commenting: “It is good for patients and staff that Addenbrooke’s now has a new Chief Executive, who we all hope will provide the stability and leadership to guide the hospital through what is likely to be a challenging winter.”

McNeil recently warned of a “significant nursing vacancy” at the hospital, though he said it was “nowhere as bad as during winter last year”.

Zeichner continued, however, by criticising the government for “not grasp[ing] the scale of the financial challenge” the NHS faced.

“I am sure that staff will pull behind the new Chief Exec... but they also need a Government and Health Secretary that will work with them, not undermine them,” he said.