A FORMER police chief at the centre of a pay row has landed a new role at a leading Hampshire hospital.

Jenni Douglas-Todd was controversially given £220,000 in public money after just a year as chief executive of Hampshire’s Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC).

Now she has become non-executive director at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS), earning up to £15,000 a year.

Her pay packet, also due from her three years as chief executive of Hampshire Police Authority, was derided as “exorbitant” by the TaxPayers’ Alliance pressure group.

Police and crime commissioner Simon Hayes said the payment was scrutinised by councillors on the Police and Crime Panel.

Ms Douglas-Todd, who lives near Winchester, will serve on Southampton General Hospital’s trust board for three years.

She has also served as director of police and research for the Independent Police Complaints Commission, investigating committee chair for the General Dental Council and as founder of consultancy firm Diversa.

Ms Douglas-Todd was appointed a member of the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office by the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor in October and previously spent nearly three years as a resident adviser for the UK in Turkey to help set-up a law enforcement complaints system UHS chairman John Trewby said: “Jenni brings a unique blend of skills which includes excellent knowledge of the diversity and equality agenda, energy and a commitment to public service.

“She has experienced change, challenges and high profile situations in numerous senior leadership roles and her former position within the office of the Hampshire Police and Crime Commissioner has given her an excellent understanding of the public service environment.”

UHS runs Southampton General Hospital, the Princess Anne maternity hospital, the Royal South Hants, Southampton Children’s Hospital and Countess Mountbatten House hospice in West End.

It provides services to some 1.9 million people across south Hampshire, plus specialist services such as neurosciences, cardiac services and children’s intensive care to more than 3.7 million people in central southern England and the Channel Islands. It has 10,550 staff.