A hospital boss has urged patients not to panic following publication of a report into mistakes made by an elderly locum pathologist.

Mid Sussex NHS Trust was one of four criticised in a report yesterday for the way it dealt with Dr James Elwood, who wrongly diagnosed hundreds of cancer patients.

The Commission for Health Improvement Report said Dr Elwood wrongly diagnosed hundreds of cancer tests while working at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and other hospitals in Surrey, Swindon and Bath between 1994 and 1999.

But the review of several hundred Sussex patients dealt with by Dr Elwood found that none of those who had been wrongly diagnosed by him were significantly affected.

Trust chief executive Stefan Cantore said all people who could have been patients of Dr Elwood's had been notified when details of Dr Elwood's mistakes emerged last year.

Mr Cantore said: "This is a report into something that happened half a decade ago and we have been in contact with all those affected.

"There is no need for patients to worry now and contact us."

Dr Elwood worked at Princess Royal on 13 occasions between 1991 and 1995 and twice during the period covered by the investigation.

The CHI report found that all four trusts had failed to carry out even basic checks on Dr Elwood's background and career when he came to work for them.

Mid Sussex had no record of any references, health checks or interview and the hospital made no checks with his previous employers to ensure he had worked there.

He first came to the Mid Sussex trust in December 1991 on a personal recommendation from a consultant at nearby Crawley Hospital.

The trust has now brought in new measures such as as a register with details of locum responsibilities and reporting arrangements and a new locum induction pack.

Trust chief executive Mr Cantore said: "What is important for us now is to learn the lessons from this review by ensuring we properly manage the arrangements for recruiting locum doctors and ensuring that they perform to the correct standard."