The Bishop of Norwich will chair a national inquiry into the rogue breast surgeon Ian Paterson who was jailed for 20 years in August after carrying out needless operations leaving patients scarred and traumatised.

The government-commissioned independent investigation will begin in January and will look at lessons that can be learned for the NHS and private healthcare. It comes after the health secretary Jeremy Hunt promised a 'comprehensive and focused inquiry' into the former surgeon's actions.

Paterson was a consultant breast surgeon at the Heart of England NHS foundation trust (HEFT) who practised privately at Spire Parkway and Spire Little Aston. He was found guilty in April of 17 counts of wounding patients with intent and the NHS has paid almost £10m in compensation to more than 250 patients, while Spire healthcare agreed to settle a further 750.

The Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, said in a statement: 'The actions of Ian Paterson and the grievous harm he inflicted on patients are deeply concerning, and they have given rise to some serious questions which remain unanswered.

'It is vital that the inquiry be informed by the concerns of former patients of Ian Paterson and their representatives. The interests of all patients, whether they seek treatment in the NHS or the private sector, should be at the heart of this Inquiry and I will do my very best in the interest of those affected and the public.'

It came as the former Labour cabinet minister Andrew Adonis called for the Archbishop of Canterbury to chair an independent inquiry into the 'outrageous' levels of pay of university vice-chancellors. It emerged that the departing vice-chancellor of Bath Spa, one of the UK's smallest universities, was paid more than £800,000 in her final year in the role. 

'It is straightforwardly outrageous what's happening,' he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

'In the House of Lords tomorrow I will propose an independent inquiry. I think the Archbishop of Canterbury should head the inquiry. He's paid £80,000 a year for one of the most responsible jobs in the country. If he can look after the souls of the nearly 60 million people in the UK, he's certainly capable of sorting out the pay of 130 vice-chancellors.'

Lambeth Palace declined to comment on whether Justin Welby would be willing.

There is a precedent for bishops, who are seen as reliable and neutral figures, to chair national independent inquiries after the former Bishop of Liverpool, James Jones, was praised for this role leading the investigation in to the Hillsborough tragedy.