THE acting chairman of a cash-strapped NHS foundation trust is to be paid £60,000 for six months' work.

The Health Service Journal (HSJ) revealed Peter Garland was being paid the unprecedented sum for his interim post at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The trust hit difficulties last year due to a range of financial management problems. A deficit of more than £11m is expected.

The HSJ said on average trust chairmen could expect to be paid about £20,000 a year.