A FORMER NHS boss was given double the pay-off she was entitled to because of the “total incompetence” of the assistant chief executive, MSPs were told.

Former NHS Tayside chief executive Lesley McLay received more than £64,000 in lieu of six months’ notice. However, she only had three months in her contract.

The pay-off came under intense scrutiny at the Scottish Parliament’s audit committee, where auditor general Caroline Gardner gave evidence.

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She said: “There was real confusion in the advice given to the acting chief executive and chair about the notice period which was relevant to the former chief executive. Her contract clearly stated that she was on three months’ notice.”

Gardner explained that, because of advice from the health board’s assistant chief executive, McLay was awarded six months’ cash and her contract amended months after she had left the role. Gardner said: “My report identifies that the person providing advice [about the severance pay] to the interim chief executive and interim chair was the assistant chief executive,” she said.

The assistant chief executive and strategic director of workforce at NHS Tayside is Dr Annie Ingram, who is still in the post. Gardner said: “The assistant chief executive wasn’t able to provide the auditor with evidence for why she believed the notice period be six months rather than three months.”

Former health secretary Alex Neil was incredulous at the auditor general’s suggestion the payoff was due to “a misunderstanding”.

The MSP said: “The director of workforce is supposed to be the person who is the professional in relation to contracts and employment.

“It’s not just confusion, it’s total incompetence if she changes the period of the contract and doesn’t even check.”