The NHS has been criticised for its latest "dreadful optics" after a new report revealed that hundreds of managers are receiving six-figure salaries, despite poor performance at their trusts.

In a report released by the TaxPayers' Alliance, the first-ever "NHS Rich List" exposed 512 managers who earned more than Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's £172,153 salary during the 2023-24 financial year.

Shimeon Lee, who compiled the report, said taxpayers would be "appalled" by the findings.

Discussing the findings on GB News, former Medical Director and Chief Medical Officer at Bupa Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, criticised the health service, calling the report "dreadful".

Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen criticised the NHS rich list after it exposed eye-watering salaries for middle management

Vallance-Owen said: "The trouble is, it filters down the next layer, next layer, next layer right down into middle management, and it just seems that priority is being given more to management than it is to our clinical frontline.

"The doctors and nurses out there have been run down in terms of their salaries over a number of years by the NHS, whereas management salaries seem to have been going up."

Highlighting the stark difference in salaries within the NHS, Vallance-Owen revealed that his niece is earning less as a doctor in training than the management staff.

He told GB News: "My niece is a doctor in training, and at the age of her early 30s, she was earning about £55,000.

"She was already operating by herself, so a lot of responsibility, and a friend of hers at the same age on the NHS management training scheme was earning £75,000.

512 managers earned more than Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's £172,153 salary during the 2023-24 financial year

"Where are the priorities? The priorities should surely be putting money to the frontline where it's desperately needed, and that's where the waiting lists have to be tackled."

Delivering his verdict on the "NHS Rich List", host Martin Daubney questioned whether there should be a "salary cap" implemented.

Martin fumed: "Poor performance has clearly been rewarded, and this will heighten the conversation of whether it is time to forget about paying private sector salaries for public sector like at the BBC? Maybe there should be salary caps?

"And how about a full audit of the NHS like we saw in America with Elon Musk, cutting this middle management wastage. Some of those salaries are equivalent to 12 nurses!"

Vallance-Owen told GB News that the salaries given to management are 'extraordinary'

Vallance-Owen responded: "It is quite extraordinary, and this keeping on, getting that money and getting high bonuses when your hospital is clearly failing on its targets, it's a nonsense."

A Department of Health spokesman said: "These figures relate to the previous Government's term in office.

"This Government is introducing tough new measures in relation to senior managers' pay, to drive progress on cutting waiting lists.

"The NHS should pay to attract top talent, but there can be no more rewards to failure."

An NHS spokesman added: "NHS managers play a key role in delivering exceptional care and services for patients - and new plans announced last week will strengthen the link between managers' pay and operational performance to improve care for patients."