Monitor, the foundation trust regulator, is to delay in its appointment of a chief executive.

Under the government’s original plans, the regulator was set to promote competition but, following the Future Forum’s recommendations, its core duty will be to protect and promote the interests of patients.

Chair David Bennett, the highest earning NHS manager on £282,000 per annum, will continue in his additional role of interim chief executive until the recruitment process re-starts, probably next year.

In a statement this morning, Monitor said: “Although there were some strong candidates the board felt that none had quite the right mix of skills and experience for the role as currently set out. In view of this, the board has decided to take the opportunity to wait for Parliament’s view on the Health and Social Care Bill to become clearer before re-starting the recruitment process.

“In recruiting to this position, the board will work to ensure that the role of the future chief executive is closely aligned with Monitor’s new remit. The recruitment process is likely to re-start in 2012.”

Bennett, a former special adviser to Tony Blair, and who was recently appointed chairman of Monitor, courted controversy in a recent interview in The Times by suggesting the NHS could be dismantled and compared health services to the utilities industry.

Bill Moyes was Monitor’s executive chairman until standing down last January when the post was split as part of governance changes.