article: The Daily Telegraph recorded Paul Jerram and Omar Ali as part of an investigation into the allegations. Mr Jerram, head of medicines management at the Isle of Wight Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has been suspended. Surrey and Sussex Hospital Trust said Mr Ali has resigned. Both men had been accused of accepting payment to set up meetings between pharmaceutical companies and "advisory boards" responsible for deciding which drugs are used by GPs and hospitals. A CCG spokesman said: "We recognise that these are serious allegations. We are undertaking an internal investigation and will complete a thorough review." "Whilst this investigation is being undertaken we have suspended the head of medicines management. "This is a neutral act which protects both the individual and the organisation. "In view of the investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time." Michael Wilson, chief executive of Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said Mr Ali resigned on Thursday. "Mr Ali has worked part-time for the Trust for ten years and has correctly declared his independent business with us," he said. "We do not have knowledge of work that he undertakes in his own personal time." A Department of Health (DoH) spokesperson said the allegations, if true, amount to an "abuse of trust" placed in the NHS by patients. The NHS's fraud protection body has launched an "urgent investigation" into the claims, they said. Mr Ali said as well as working part-time for the NHS he also runs a "market access consulting firm" which runs advisory boards for NHS experts and commercial organisations. He said he had "done everything by the book" and "always made all the appropriate operational declarations for my consulting work in accordance with the usual NHS governance processes". "I never allowed my NHS work to be influenced by my other activities," he added. "A proper examination of the wider debate on this area of the NHS would be of enormous benefit, and could help inform best practice for the future."
summary: An NHS boss has been suspended and another has resigned over claims senior staff were being paid by drug companies to help promote their products.