Pay for NHS chief executives has risen by more than 70% in the last decade, according to new figures.
Analysis by Income Data Services found that pay for chief executives in the health service now tops £200,000 a year in the best paid posts.
The pay rises outstripped nurses, whose salaries went up by just 50% in the same period.
The highest paid chief executive was to Derek Smith, chief executive of Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust, who was paid between £210,000 and £215,000 last year.
The Department of Health said it was important to pay a competitive rate in order to get the best leaders with the right skills.
