The Department of Health should wait until a new government is in place before appointing a permanent Monitor chair, the organisation representing foundation trusts has said.

Foundation Trust Network director Sue Slipman said it was unlikely a suitable replacement for Bill Moyes would be found before the general election.

The question that has to be asked is who would apply this close to the election?

The government failed to appoint a replacement after interviewing two candidates in the autumn. Executive chair Mr Moyes leaves at the end of this month.

Deputy chair Christopher Mellor will take the chair post in the interim but the DH has asked for the post to be “re-advertised”.

Ms Slipman said: “The question that has to be asked is who would apply this close to the election?

“There is unlikely to be a much better field of candidates given the closeness to the general election,” she said.

An appointee may not have the confidence of any new government, and the Conservatives have previously said they will significantly change Monitor’s role.

Ms Slipman said it was not ideal to have an interim but the regulator should be able to continue operating and authorising new foundations, as long as it is “left to get on and do it”.

The DH has said a chair and chief executive will be appointed separately. Monitor said once Mr Mellor was in post its board would consider the chief executive vacancy.

A DH spokeswoman said health secretary Andy Burnham, who has to approve the appointment, had “requested that the post of Monitor chair be re-advertised in the new year”.

“This will allow a wider choice of candidates to be considered. The successful candidate will only be offered the post after a thorough interview process and approval by the secretary of state.”

On the reasons for the move she said: “This is an important post and it is only right that we take the necessary steps to find the best candidate.”

It will leave both the two NHS regulators without a permanent chair from 1 February, when Baroness Young will leave the Care Quality Commission, as revealed by HSJ last month.

CQC board member and former Mencap chief executive Dame Jo Williams will act as interim, and recruitment to the post is expected to be led by the DH in collaboration with the Appointments Commission. The two chair positions are expected to be advertised together this month.

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