You may never have heard of her but Philippa Slinger has now been given the two biggest challenges facing Norfolk's NHS.

Ms Slinger, who in October was tasked with improving the region's troubled mental health service, has now also been given the job of turning around the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) - at the same time.

The NNUH was put into special measures last week after being rated 'inadequate' by health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

CQC inspectors rated the leadership and safety of the hospital 'inadequate', but praised frontline staff.

Despite damning findings about the NNUH's leadership, chief executive Mark Davies has said he will remain at the helm.

NHS Improvement, however, has appointed an improvement director to help the hospital.

Ms Slinger started work at the NNUH this week.

Last year she was also appointed as improvement director at the region's mental health service, the Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust (NSFT).

The NSFT was put into special measures in October 2017.

Before joining NHS Improvement, she was the chief executive of Heatherwood & Wexham Park Hospitals Foundation Trust in Berkshire.

That Trust was put into special measures shortly after Ms Slinger left in early 2014.

The improvement director appointed then to help it was Mr Davies, who she will now work with at the NNUH.

An NSFT spokesman said Ms Slinger would split her time between the hospital and mental health trust.

The NNUH also said yesterday it had started talks with NHS Improvement about extra funding.

It has got to make £30m of savings this year but is still forecast to be £27m in the red.

The cash would be used to pay back its vast annual payments to the company which built the hospital under the Private Finance Initiative (PFI).

It is making payments of around £60m a year to Octagon Healthcare to maintain the hospital and pay back the cost of building it in 2001.

It is also bidding for funding to expand its radiology facilities which it has planning permission for.