Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said:

Under Sir David Nicholson’s leadership, NHS waiting times have fallen, infection rates reduced, and mixed sex accommodation is at an all-time low.

His job has often been incredibly complex and very difficult, and yet he has always had a reputation for staying calm, and maintaining a relentless focus on what makes a difference on the NHS frontline.

I am also grateful to him for overseeing the successful setting up of NHS England and giving us an orderly period in which to select his successor.