Her departure comes less than a month after two House of Commons committees discussed her suitability to lead the NHS.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard has resigned. In a statement on Tuesday, Pritchard said it had been a “hugely difficult decision for me to stand down”. She added: “It has been an enormous privilege to lead the NHS in England through what has undoubtedly been the most difficult period in its history.

NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard will leave her role at the end of March, it has been announced. Oxford University-educated Ms Pritchard – who has come in for criticism from MPs in recent months – said it had been “an enormous privilege to lead the NHS in England through what has undoubtedly been the most difficult period in its history”.