Bug hospital chief's payoff stopped

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He stepped in amid rumours that Rose Gibb received a large sum after stepping down on Friday as head of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust.

Appalling hygiene standards at Kent and Sussex Hospital, Pembury Hospital and Maidstone Hospital saw Clostridium difficile (C diff) directly linked to 90 deaths.

Mr Johnson said earlier that the circumstances leading to the deaths had been a "scandal". He later added: "I have instructed the trust to withhold any severance payment to the former chief executive of Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, pending legal advice."

Ms Gibb left the trust by mutual arrangement after four years in post. Annual accounts showed she earned around £150,000 in salary, £5,000 benefits and £12,500 in pension in 2006/07.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Kent Police are currently investigating whether to take action against the trust and Ms Gibb as an individual. A spokeswoman for the HSE said action against individuals can only be taken if there are grounds to act against a corporation firstly under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Geoff Martin of campaign group Health Emergency said of Mr Johnson's intervention: "This is absolutely right and proper. A severance payment should never have been considered in the first place."

He added: "I have heard from Maidstone NHS staff that (she) is rumoured to have received a massive pay-off from the trust. If it's true, we have a right to know how much taxpayers' money is involved and it would fuel the scandal even more if it turns out that senior managers have walked away from this carnage with their pockets stuffed with NHS cash."

The trust has refused to disclose how much money Ms Gibb received after leaving. A spokesman for the trust said: "As with any employee, the financial arrangements are confidential."

A Kent Police spokesman said: "We are in the process of reviewing the contents of the report given to us by the Healthcare Commission. Until such stage we have digested the contents of the report, we cannot say we are gong to fully investigate this. We have got to review it first. The purpose of the review is to see if any criminal acts have taken place."