The former chief executive of troubled NHS Tayside is currently on sick leave despite being dismissed from her role, MSPs have been told.

NHS Scotland chief executive Paul Gray said Lesley McLay had not been dismissed by the health board, although she was no longer chief executive.

He added that she "doesn't have a job" with the board at the moment, because she was signed off sick the day after she was informed of her dismissal.

Ms McLay was replaced as chief executive of the NHS board - which has been bailed out with £45m of Scottish Government loans in recent years and will require a further £12.7m for 2017-18 - in April, after health secretary Shona Robison described her position as "untenable".

After hearing that Ms McLay could return to another position when she is medically fit and well, former health secretary Alex Neil claimed there was a "two-tier system" operating in the NHS.

The SNP MSP said: "It seems to me we have got two-tier system where if you are in a senior position, even if you have not done the job properly in the view of senior management of the board, you can get another position.

"But if you are down the line, if you are a porter or a nurse, that doesn't happen to you, you are off the premises more or less right away."

Mr Neil pressed the NHS Scotland chief executive on the issue as MSPs on Holyrood's Public Audit Committee continued their scrutiny of the health service in Tayside.

Ms Robison was forced to intervene in the running of the board after it emerged cash from public donations had been used to fund new technology.

Mr Gray confirmed to MSPs he met Ms McLay on Thursday April 5 to tell her the Scottish Government was increasing its intervention in the running of the board.

At this point he said she was unable to remain as chief executive as her "accountable officer status would be removed".

He added: "That doesn't cause her to cease to be an employee of NHS Tayside. It stops her being chief executive."