Buckinghamshire’s NHS has appointed a new chief executive “following an extensive search”.

Neil Macdonald – who first joined the trust in 2005 – has been named chief executive officer of the Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

Since he became interim chief executive at the trust in 2018, Mr Macdonald has been praised for improving staff morale and delivering care closer to people’s homes.

He has also maintained the trust’s position of being among “the best in the country” in areas such as stroke, research and spinal injuries.

Mr Macdonald said: “I have loved the last 10 months. I am proud of what we have achieved so far and I am humbled by the dedication of our staff and volunteers. Without their professionalism and commitment, we couldn’t deliver the great standards of care for our patients that we aspire to.

“The NHS is unique and I understand how much our services mean to our communities. These are my local services too, where my family and friends are treated, and I have a strong ambition and aspiration to make us the safest healthcare system in the country.

“We cannot achieve this in isolation and I look forward to working with our partners, our communities, our patients and our staff in making this vision a reality.”