A cash-strapped hospital trust spent £100,000 for three months' work by a consultant whose role was advising on saving money.

The Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust (MTW) sanctioned the payments for an improvement director, on secondment from audit company KPMG.

It was part of a scheme by NHS Improvement which selected 16 organisations to embark on a financial improvement programme aimed at saving the NHS in England £50 million in a year.

But trusts had to apply for and pay for the support themselves. This saw MTW give KPMG £600,000 for a package of work to improve finances.

This included £100,000 for a worker, understood to be called Jane Hurst. An FOI response revealed she was only in post for three months.

The pay rate is vastly more than even the trust’s chief executive Glenn Douglas, as he earned £205-210,000 per annum according to MTW’s 2014-15 annual report.

In July the trust was placed in financial special measures, putting an end to the work with KPMG.

The FOI asked whether the improvement director worked full time or part time. This has not been answered.

MTW hospital managers predict a £23 million deficit this year and after they couldn’t agree with NHS Improvement on a savings figure to get this under control, it became one of the first five trusts in England to be put in special measures.

Money woes include a higher than average wage bill for medical staff, including agency workers, and losing money on planned trauma and orthopaedic procedures as many beds at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital are needed for emergency care.

NHS Improvement parachuted in a financial improvement director, Simon Worthington, who started last month. The trust has just weeks to present a robust savings plan.

A hospital spokesman said: “We work closely with NHS Improvement to deliver financial efficiencies amid unprecedented demand for services. We’re doing our absolute best to deliver quality, safe services, while becoming more cost-effective.”

In 2014 it was revealed Ian Miller, an interim manager tasked with sorting out a £10 million deficit, was paid £250,000 - or £274 an hour - for six months work.

Another interim finance director, Colin Gentle, took home £240,000 between December 2010 and January 2012.