According to a report, despite flat budget, cuts that are increasing and plans to save £20bn, there has been a steep rise in the pays of NHS.

According to research by Income Data Services, IDS, in 2009 the average pay of a trust chief executive in England was £155,000 but it saw a 2.5 per cent increase in 2010 and it went to £158,800.

This includes various benefits like a vehicle, bonuses, salary etc. earned till March last year.

There was a rise in the pay from £158,450 to £170,000 when it comes to the average pay of chief executives of acute and specialist hospital trusts. When talking about mental health trust bosses, the pay increased to £149,000 from £140,700.

IDS's annual NHS boardroom pay survey states that together combined the median of all trust bosses' packages was £158,800from £155,000.

The Department of Health said, “Quality is at the heart of everything the NHS does and this will only happen with the best possible leadership. Senior managers play vital roles in the success of the NHS, and provide very good value for money.”