A LOCAL health trust has apologised if inappropriate wording on its internet site describing one of its directors misled the public.

The Who's Who section of the West Herts Hospital Trust's website describes its Director of Estates and Facilities, Simon Colbert, as: "a qualified member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)."

The RICS confirmed that Mr Colbert is listed on its database as a trainee member but does not hold qualifications that would make him a full member or a fellow of the institution.

A spokesman for the RICS said the wording on the web page was inappropriate and that it would be investigated.

He said: "Until you have become a full member of the RICS you cannot refer to yourself as a chartered surveyor or use the letters MRICS or FRICS after your name.

"There is only one Mr S Colbert listed on our system and we have him down as working for a firm in Watford."

A spokesman for the trust said: "There has been some confusion over the description of Mr Colbert's qualifications as it appears on the website.

"He is a qualified quantity surveyor and a trainee member of the RICS.

"As a result of the confusion, the information on our website has now been amended."

Whenever prominent new employees arrive at the trust, the communications department write a profile of the person and put it on the web page.