A health boss who stayed off work for nine months while being investigated over accusations of bullying continued to receive his £300,000 salary, it has been revealed.
George Thomson pocketed the cash from struggling Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust despite being absent between March and December 2018 as his behaviour was probed.
He finally left his post as medical director on 14 December – but not before he’d also picked up a lucrative undisclosed payment “in lieu of notice”.
Astonishingly, it was not the first time Dr Thomson had been richly remunerated by the NHS while off work under investigation.
In 2014, while director of Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, he continued to collect his £185,000 salary despite being absent for at least six months – again while being investigated for accusations of “unprofessional behaviour”.
It means, in total, the trained endocrinologist is thought to have earned upwards of £400,000 of public money while not actually working.
The investigation in Devon was sparked when Dr Thomson – who had joined the trust in November 2014 – received a vote of “no confidence” from senior clinicians.
The motion cited allegations of his “intimidating and bullying behaviour” towards staff, including medics, as well as “a lack of clinical leadership”.
The findings of the resulting probe have not been disclosed – but a Freedom of Information request submitted by theDevon Live website found the proceedings had cost the trust a further £23,000.
It is unclear what Mr Thomson has gone on to do professionally since leaving his post in December.
Both Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust and Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust were contacted by The Independent for comment.
