BASINGSTOKE hospital bosses took away big pay rises last year, according to research by a pressure group.

Analysis by the TaxPayers’ Alliance reveals that in 2008 to 2009, hospital medical director Andrew Bishop took away a 34.6 per cent pay rise or £45,000 – taking his salary to the region of £175,000.

And it lists the hospital chief executive Mary Edwards as having an extra 18.9 per cent or £24,500, bringing her pay to about £155,000.

Both Dr Bishop and Mrs Edwards appeared in the alliance’s “Public Sector Rich List 2009”, which found at least 806 people in the public sector earning more than £150,000.

Susie Squire, policy director at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “These rises are absolutely staggering and out of kilter with what’s happening in the rest of the economy.”

The publication comes as Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the 324th best paid public sector worker earning £194,250, said that anyone hired on a public sector salary above £150,000 will now need formal ministerial approval.

The research found the average top public sector employee earned a pay rise of 5.4 per cent, compared with an average 2.7 per cent increase for nurses.

Dr Bishop was listed as 479th best paid public sector worker and Mrs Edwards was 694th.

Foundation trust spokeswoman Elizabeth Eddie said Mrs Edwards’ pay, which is reviewed annually by the chairman and non-executive directors, reflected the scale of leading the town’s largest employer, with 2,800 staff and a turnover of £150million.

In March 2008, with the foundation trust ranking as one of the highest performing trusts, she said it was decided to bring Mrs Edwards’ pay in line with her counterparts throughout the UK.

She said: “This was a rise from £135,000 to £155,000.”

Next year, Mrs Edwards will have a pay rise of £2,325 in line with inflation, she said.

Dr Bishop was paid according to the national terms and conditions for consultants and she said his salary was not reviewed locally.

She said: “He is a full-time cardiologist as well as being the trust’s medical director.

“The pay difference between 2007 to 2008 and 2008 to 2009 relates to the national pay award plus recognition for his expertise by the national clinical excellence award system.”

High pay among the NHS bosses was seen elsewhere in the region.

Chief Executive Andrew Morris, of Frimley Park Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, was given a 6.3 per cent rise last, taking his to £178,000.

Professor Ann Sheen OBE, chief executive officer of Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, which runs The Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, earned in the region of £197,500 in 2008-2009, having taken a 14.5 per cent pay rise.

Ursula Ward, chief executive of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust was given a 9.5 per cent increase and was paid about £172,500.

But others took pay cuts. Brian Skinner, chief executive of Southampton City Primary Care Trust, has his slashed by £27,500, taking it to £155,000.

And Dr Kevin Stewart, medical director at Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust, had a £500 cut last year to about £150,000.

Former NHS Hampshire chief executive Gareth Cruddace, meanwhile, took no increase last year. He was listed as earning £172,500.

NHS Hampshire chairman Jonathan Montgomery said Mr Cruddace’s pay was set according to strict Department of Health guidelines.

He said: “These guidelines set out a pay scale range based on the population size, deprivation levels and the age of the residents and as Hampshire has the largest population of any PCT in the country, this is reflected in the salary of our chief executive.”

The list does not include senior staff in local authorities, which is published in the alliance’s annual “Town Hall Rich List”.