The chief executive of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, which came out of special measures last year, has announced today she is to step down after eight years to take up a position at a national health organisation.

Anne Eden is to leave the trust to join the NHS Trust Development Authority, an agency overseeing and supporting the work of other trusts, from April 1.

There, she will serve as director of delivery and development for the south of England.

Neil Dardis, the current chief operating officer and deputy chief executive of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, will take over as interim chief executive.

The county’s hospitals have undergone controversial changes during Ms Eden’s time in the role, including the transfer of doctor-led maternity services from Wycombe to Stoke Mandeville Hospitals.

But the Trust says these changes have contributed to better outcomes for patients and commended Ms Eden for driving them through, developing the Cardiac and Stroke Receiving Unit at Wycombe and for working to improve collaboration between health and social care services.

A statement said: “Anne has helped the Trust to drive up its quality outcomes and is one of the best performers for surgical and hyperacute stroke services and has one of the lowest infection control rates in the country.”

In 2013 the Trust went into special measures over a string of concerns raised in the Keogh Review, including poor engagement with staff and patients, weak governance and problems with maintaining staffing levels.

The Trust emerged from that status after a follow-up report found significant improvements had been made.

Chair of the Trust, Hattie Llewellyn-Davies, said: “On behalf of the board I would like to thank Anne for her focus and commitment to the staff and patients at Buckinghamshire Healthcare over the past eight years. She has transformed the organisation and ensured that delivering safe and compassionate care is central to the way we work.

“Anne has been integral in establishing a new board over the past year and we have a clear strategy with our local partners for the future. It has been a real pleasure working with Anne and we will miss her greatly. I wish her all the best in her new post and look forward to continue working with her in the future.

“I am delighted that Neil Dardis, the Trust’s chief operating officer and deputy chief executive, will become interim chief executive from 1 April and I am confident that under his leadership the Trust will continue to move forward and improve.”

Ms Eden said: “It will be a huge wrench to leave Buckinghamshire, but I feel privileged to accept this role and the opportunity to gain a different perspective of the NHS at a national level and to share my own learning and experience is one that I could not let pass me by.

“I am so proud of the staff and all that they have achieved. They have made the Trust a strong, resilient organisation and I am confident that it will go from strength to strength. I will continue to live in the area, so they will never be far from my thoughts.”

Sir Peter Carr, chairman at the NHS Trust Development Authority, said: “I am delighted that Anne has decided to join our board.

“She brings with her a wealth of experience as the chief executive of Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

“During her time at the Trust, she has overseen significant improvement in the quality of care provided to patients and in 2014 led them out of special measures.

“I am confident that she will be a real asset to all the NHS Trusts in the south as they work towards a sustainable, high quality future.”