West Herts NHS Trust has hired a new non-executive director with experience in finance, risk management and regulation.

Paul Cartwright worked for Accenture management consultants for more than 20 years, where he specialised in finance, risk management and regulation.

He left Accenture in 2008 to study Theology at King’s College, in London.

Mr Cartwright was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2013 and is keen to use his experience as a patient of the NHS to help influence and shape his role as a non-executive director.

He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants with a Masters in economics from the University of Cambridge and lives in St Albans.

Trust chair, Mahdi Hasan, said: "I am delighted to welcome Paul to the trust board.

"His experience will be a great asset to our hospitals and will help us to build on the many improvements we have made in recent years.

"Paul’s significant commercial expertise, insight and skills will help to strengthen the Board and will be invaluable in supporting the Trust as we focus on our future development. We look forward to working with him."

Mr Cartwright said: "I am honoured to have been appointed as a non-executive director at Watford, St Albans and Hemel Hempstead hospitals.

"I am looking forward to joining the team and to using my experience - both professional and personal as a patient of the NHS - to help the Trust further improve the care it provides to its patients, as well as their friends and families."

Mr Cartwright has been appointed from June 1 until May 31, 2016, and he will be entitled to receive a remuneration of £6,157 per annum.

He replaces Katharine Charter who stood down as a non-executive director in January 2014.