Medway hospital has announced who is to take over the reigns of the troubled NHS trust, which was placed in special measures last year.

Dr Philip Barnes, Medway’s medical director, will take up the post as acting chief executive when the interim chief executive’s contract comes to an end in August.

Speaking at the trust's board meeting today, chairman Christopher Langley said: “Nigel Beverley joined us as interim chief executive earlier this year and his contract will shortly be coming to an end. Nigel has other commitments that preclude a continuation of this contract.

“I would like to take this opportunity to formally record my thanks to Nigel for his efforts over the past few months.”

Dr Barnes was born and brought up on the Isle of Sheppey and went to school in Rochester before graduating from medical school in Oxford.

He has held a number of senior clinical posts including the directorship of the King’s Neurosciences Centre at King’s College Hospital and before joining the Medway trust, Phil was the medical director at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust.

Bosses at Medway Maritime have also announced a partnership project with University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) which begins on Monday.

The project is aimed at improving services after Medway was placed in special measures last year following the Keogh review into high death rates.

UHB is a large teaching hospital in Birmingham that treats nearly 900,000 patients a year, employs over 8,500 staff and has a reputation for clinical excellence, training and innovation.

Mr Langley said: “From next week we will be working with senior clinical and operational leaders from UHB.

"They will be engaging with staff within our Trust to better understand our current systems and processes and to agree some short, medium and longer-term plans that will help to deliver further operational improvements and excellent patient care.

“I believe that this is a great opportunity to learn and benefit from another hospital and we look forward to this partnership starting on June 30.”

Earlier this week, it emerged that Christopher Langley is paid more than £14,000 a month to work as little as one day a week, while interim chief executive Nigel Bevereley has been paid £1,450 a day since the start of his six-month contract in February.

The pair were brought in by the health regulator Monitor to turn around the failing hospital.

A spokesman for Monitor said: “When we took action in February, Medway was one of the most challenged foundation trusts in the country and faced a range of serious issues.

“The trust needed the right people in place to make the urgent improvements needed for its patients, which is why the interim chair and chief executive were appointed.

“The interim leadership faces a large and difficult task in turning the trust around, and it is important for the people of Medway that the job is done well.

“Whilst it is for the trust to agree on the pay of its senior managers, both the chair and chief executive are being paid in line with comparable senior positions around the NHS.

“We will continue to work with the trust’s leadership to improve care for people in Medway.”