The Health and Social Care Committee's recommendations came after it heard evidence from Dr Dash on Wednesday after she was named the Government's preferred candidate for NHS chair.

A spokesperson for the committee said: ‘We believe that Dr Dash would be a capable chair and welcomed her focus on data and her commitment to drive best practice across the system to improve the quality of care. We believe that her CV shows that she would provide leadership and challenge to the NHS's executive team.

‘We would have liked to have heard more from Dr Dash about her strategic vision for NHS England and concrete steps she would take to deliver this vision. However, we understand that she did not want to pre-empt decisions being taken during the development of the 10- Year Health Plan. We welcome her recognition of her tendency to be an interventionist chair and her efforts to pull back from the operational detail. Addressing this will help her succeed in this role.'

Sir James Mackey, currently the chief executive of Newcastle Hospitals Foundation Trust and national director of Elective Recovery, is taking over as transition chief executive of NHS England before taking up the post formally on 1 April.