The director responsible for looking after the finances of Norfolk's biggest health provider has resigned.

Julie Cave, who was director of resources at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), has left the trust after six years of service.

She was the longest-serving executive director on NNUH's board.

The trust is currently facing a £9.5m deficit at the end of this financial year.

Ms Cave's departure leaves the trust with just two permanent directors in the NNUH's senior management team.

They are Emma McKay, director of nursing, and Jeremy Over, director of workforce.

Sheila Budd, the former deputy director of resources, has been named acting director of finance.

She completes a quartet of non-permanent appointments to the trust's senior management team.

The others are Mark Davies, interim chief executive, Peter Chapman, interim medical director, and Richard Parker, interim chief operating officer.

The final member of the senior management team is trust chairman John Fry.

In a statement to staff, seen by the EDP, Mr Davies said: 'Julie led on finance, and was the accountable officer for Clinical Research Network: Eastern and helped Norfolk's three acute hospitals to form the Eastern Pathology Alliance, which provides a merged pathology service to all GPs.

'We wish her all the best for the future.'

Ms Cave was responsible for financial services, capital planning and monitoring, information technology, estates and environmental management, and contracting and procurement.

Her departure comes three weeks after the finance director of Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, resigned from his post.

Paul James left Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust along with ex-chief executive Dr Keith McNeil ahead of the publication of a highly-critical report from health watchdog the Care Quality Commission.

The hospital was then said to be running a deficit of £1.2m per week.

See tomorrow's EDP and Evening News for more on this story.