The man at the centre of last year's national row on A-Level grade fixing has been selected as the next chairman of Oxfordshire's largest hospital trust.

Sir William Stubbs

Sir William Stubbs, the former chairman of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, has promised that the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust will be run openly and transparently under his leadership.

His appointment follows the departure of Neil Ashley, who left the ORH after David Highton resigned as chief executive amid fears the trust's £20m debts were spiralling out of control.

Despite a career in education, Sir William said he was looking forward to working at the ORH, which is responsible for Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill and Radcliffe Infirmary, and The Horton, Banbury.

He said: "The ORH is an organisation whose good health and well-being are fundamental to Oxfordshire. It's been through difficult times and there's a challenge."

Sir William, of Adderbury, near Banbury, hit the headlines during the A-Level scandal, when hundreds of students claimed their results were worse than predicted.

Although the inquiry that followed in September last year cleared him of blame, he was sacked by former Education Secretary Estelle Morris.

Claiming he had been used as a scapegoat, Sir William threatened to sue the Government -- a move widely regarded as one of the reasons Mrs Morris resigned a month later.

Managers at the hospital, who asked not to be named, have said Sir William's ability to "bring down ministers" had led to apprehension among ORH bosses.

He has admitted he knows little about the health service and is reading a briefing document to get up to speed.

Sir William's term of office will be four years, and he will be paid £20,420 a year.

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