A FORMER hospital director said to have been at the centre of a 'musketeer midwife' pay off scandal has resigned while under investigation.

Roger Wilson arranged the 'irregular' exit contract for Furness General Hospital maternity risk manager Jeanette Parkinson when she agreed to leave in 2012.

He also promised she would not face a disciplinary over her alleged poor performance at the unit where 11 babies and one mother died as a direct result of serious failings in care.

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It allowed Ms Parkinson, from Barrow, to retire from her senior position within the shamed maternity unit with thousands of pounds she was not entitled to.

In March, it was confirmed Warrington and Halton NHS Hospitals Trust had launched an investigation into the conduct of Mr Wilson, who had been appointed as its director of human resources and operations development.

Now a spokesman for the trust has confirmed Mr Wilson resigned from his position on May 4.

A spokesman for Warrington and Halton hospitals trust said: "Mr Wilson was facing an internal hearing, which is still in process and has not yet concluded; therefore it is not appropriate for us to comment further.

"We can however confirm that Mr Roger Wilson resigned from the trust on May 4 with immediate effect."

The contract, classed as a mutually agreed resignation scheme, was uncovered last year during an internal investigation by the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust - Furness General Hospital's parent organisation - into the 2008 death of Dalton newborn Joshua Titcombe.

It revealed Ms Parkinson, who had clocked up 34 years service as a midwife, was paid thousands of pounds more than she was entitled to as well as 450 hours of 'unchallenged' overtime.

Jackie Daniel, chief executive of the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust, described it as 'irregular'.

It was said to contain clauses that were 'not normal' and had not been through the normal governance protocols, Mrs Daniel added.

Mr Wilson went on to deny any impropriety associated with the compromise agreement issued to Ms Parkinson.

He previously stated: "I would like to record that I strongly refute any allegation of impropriety on my part while employed at UHMB or at any other role that I have held in either public or private sectors."

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