Health panelreceived £46k for six monthswork: DHSSPS

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) has released details of payments made to the former Chief Executive of the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB), John Compton, and the five independent panel members who helped produce ‘Transforming Your Care: A Review of Health and social Care in Northern Ireland’ in 2011.

It’s emerged that the total of all payments made to the various panel members was £46,753.81

The Department revealed that Mr John Compton who recently left the HSCB to replaced by former Derry City Council Chief Executive, Valerie Watts, received nothing “over and above his normal salary” for his role in producing TYC.

Professor Chris Ham, Chief Executive of the King’s Fund, received less than £18,000 for his participation.

As aforementioned, Professor Deirdre Heenan, received less than £10,000.

Dr Ian Rutter, A Yorkshire GP, received less than £9,000.

Paul Simpson, a retired senior civil servant, received less than £8,000.

And Mark Ennis, the Executive chair of renewable electricity firm SSE Ireland, received less than £4,000.

The Department advised that each payment had been rounded up to the nearest £1,000.

The Department also confirmed that no further payments were made to any panel members for producing any further material associated with the TYC report up until November 2014.

Transforming Your Care is the Department of Health’s overarching road map for change in the provision of health and social care services in Northern Ireland.

According to the Department: “It focuses on reshaping how services are to be structured and delivered in order to make best use of all resources available to us, and in so doing, ensure that our services are safe, resilient and sustainable into the future.”

Commissioning the review in June 2011, the erstwhile Health Minister Edwin Poots stipulated that he wished for there to be a strong independent overview to the process, helping to shape and providing challenge to any proposals.

The five independent panellists above were duly appointed. The review, which found an “unassailable case for change” was completed in November 2011.