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NHS spends £15million (the same as 750 nurses’ salaries) on gagging 600 whistleblowers
- The figures pile more pressure on NHS boss Sir David Nicholson
- The ‘special severance payments’ were made in three years up to 2011
- The figures were released after questions from Tory MP Steve Barclay
- The Department of Health and Treasury had refused to release the figure
Under fire: The figures will put even more pressure on NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson in the wake of the Mid Staffordshire scandal
By Andrew Pierce
The NHS spent £15million in three years on gagging whistleblowers, the Mail can reveal today.
The shocking figures pile the pressure on NHS chief executive Sir David Nicholson, who has clung to his £270,000 role despite presiding over the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal that cost the lives of 1,200 patients.
In just three years there were 598 ‘special severance payments’, almost all of which carried draconian confidentiality clauses aimed at silencing whistleblowers.
They cost the taxpayer £14.7million, the equivalent of almost 750 nurses’ salaries.
Yet only last week, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned the NHS against silencing internal dissent.
He said for too long there had been a culture of celebrating success in the NHS, but ‘not being honest about failure’. He added: ‘We must have a culture where people are not afraid to speak out.’
Last night Steve Barclay, the Tory MP who uncovered the figures, demanded that Sir David be recalled to give evidence to the influential Commons public accounts committee to justify the £14.7million bill.
Philosophers stone – selected views from the boat
http://philosophers-stone.co.uk
2013-02-22 06:36:29
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