The resignation of a medical director at an ambulance trust has been announced during the same week it was claimed that delays over the Christmas period resulted in the deaths of 20 people.

Staff at the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust, which covers six counties, including Hertfordshire, were told today that Dr Mark Patten will be leaving at the start of February.

He gave formal notice to the EEAST Board of his decision in November after being part of the Executive Team since July 2016.

However, the announcement has come a few days after MP Clive Lewis told the Commons that the ambulance service failed to move into its highest state of emergency over 12 days in December.

The decision was not taken until December 31 and he says the delays cost 20 people their lives.

Dr Patten will now be returning to full-time clinical work at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital but said: “I wish all at East of England Ambulance Service Trust the very best in the future.”

Robert Morton, the CEO at the trust, added: “With his fellow leaders, he has helped place ever-more emphasis on the patient journey, and how we treat the people we respond to with respect and compassion.

“We thank him for not only his leadership, but for also responding to patients regularly and making a massive contribution to patient care.”

The trust endured its "busiest Christmas ever". They received 4,200 calls on Boxing Day and snowy conditions the following day resulted in “another day of busy calls”.

Kevin Brown, director of service delivery for the service, said at the time: “The health system is experiencing this spike with us, and every trust is doing everything possible to work together for good patient outcomes.

“We will always prioritise patients with life-threatening conditions above other calls and that calling 999 should be for these sorts of emergencies only.”