BUCKINGHAMSHIRE'S top NHS boss has called a scathing Government report a "really important crossroads" and said sorry to anyone who has suffered poor treatment.

In the wake of the Keogh Review, Anne Eden, Chief Executive of Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust, reiterated her apologies to any family or patient whose care at the county's hospitals was inadequate.

The health secretary announced last month Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust is one of 11 hospital trusts which has been placed in special measures because of major failings. Jeremy Hunt said that tough action was needed at the hospitals, including Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville.

Ms Eden said at a board meeting on Wednesday: "I think what's really important is that this is clearly a really important juncture for us, we are at a really important crossroads.

"We are absolutely taking this, as a board, very seriously indeed. We will be relentless in our ambition to get it right with every single patient. I think we know what we need to do to get there.

"If we do get it wrong for one patient, one family that's one too many.

"That's not good enough. It's about consistency and working to get it right over time. We do absolutely apologise to those patients who we get it wrong. It's absolutely about learning and getting it right."

She added the trust was on a "continuous improvement journey".

She acknowledged the report had dented confidence in the NHS and affected staff morale but stressed she would aim to rebuild confidence.

Among the shortcomings noted for Bucks were nursing staff failures in dealing with patients nutritional and medication needs and criticism over the care of patients with dementia.

The trust has drawn up a plan of immediate action to ensure it can come out of special measures.

It is required to implement the recommendations of the Keogh review, with external teams sent in to help them do this. Their progress will be tracked and made public.