The Liberal Democrats have just launched a new national website on the NHS. One of the features is a page where you can send to the party something about your own experience of the NHS.
The plan is to publish a selection of people’s stories on the site – if you don?t want them to use yours in this way, please say ?Not for publication? in your message.
Another part of the website is a health news section. For example, this item from the Lib Dem Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb:
Two Sues have cost taxpayer nearly 500,000 – Lamb
27 June 2007Two top officials at a Government agency meant to safeguard patient safety in the NHS have cost the taxpayer almost half a million pounds in early retirement pay, according to figures uncovered by the Liberal Democrats.
The joint chief executives of the National Patient Safety Agency, Sue Osborn and Susan Williams, have also been paid ?138,610 while being on indefinite leave from July 2006 to March 2007 pending an inquiry into their managerial record.
Their interim replacement has cost at least ?78,419.
Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb MP said:
“How can anyone justify these joint chief executives first of all being away from work whilst being paid for 8 months at a cost to the public purse of over ?200,000 and then receiving retirement packages, together worth almost half a million pounds?
“This is a slap in the face for the many hard working NHS employees who have seen posts cut and training budgets slashed.
“There needs to be total clarity about the circumstances of their absence from work and the decision to award early retirement. This looks like a scandalous use of public money and it is particularly outrageous at a time when local health services have been cut in many parts of the country in order to clear deficits.
“I have written to the Secretary of State asking for a full investigation into this matter and into the stewardship of this agency.”