Pay rises for NHS supremos are a slap in the face for staff‏

9.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 13th Apr 2010

Commenting on reports that NHS chief executives pay increased at more than twice the rate of nurses pay last year, Lib Dem candidate Nick Perry said,

"These reports add insult to injury in our local circumstances.

"First we have the doubling of staff parking charges. Then we see the Chief Exec of East Sussex Hospitals Trust being allowed to walk away with a massive handout in lieu of working her notice.

"Hospital managers seem to be living in a parallel universe at the moment. And they are not accountable through the ballot box. That is why Liberal Democrats advocate directly elected Local Health Boards.

Lib Dem Health boss Norman Lamb MP said:

"This is totally unacceptable. There is simply no justification for chief executives to receive pay increases that are far larger than those for frontline nursing staff.

"Many nurses are struggling to get by and this will be seen as slap in the face to hardworking NHS staff who are having to accept pay restraint in the current financial climate.

"Labour has overseen the emergence of fat cats in the NHS and throughout the public sector. This financially draining culture has got to change.

"Liberal Democrats will put a cap on pay in the NHS to ensure that no chief executive earns more than the Prime Minister."