THE chairman of Basildon Hospital has announced he is stepping down.

Ian Luder revealed in an open letter to staff that he will not be standing for a second termwhen his current run finishes in March 2015.

Mr Luder, who has worked alongside chief executive Clare Panniker to see the once-failing trust rated “good” by the Care Quality Commission, feels it is time a new c h a i r m a n takes over.

In his letter, he said: “We have made huge progress since 2012, and I feel it is in the best interest of the trust to have a new chairman to work with Clare, the executive team and all of you, to steer the trust through the challenges of the next few years. I shall work with Clare and the Governors to help recruit the right person for this role.”

Mr Luder, a former Mayor of London and city accountant, joined Basildon Hospital as chairman in April 2012 and oversaw the appointment of Mrs Panniker as chief executive.

The process to appoint a new chairman, which will begin shortly, will be overseen by the appointments committee – made up of staff, members of the public and appointed governors.