Health chief gets £475,000 pay-off

Amanda Crook

April 06, 2006

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WINDFALL: Chris Appleby.

A HEALTH chief who agreed to quit after pressure from Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt is to receive a payout of almost half a million pounds.

Chris Appleby, chief executive of Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust - which runs hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and North Manchester - announced in February he would leave once a consultation on services had been completed.

He had been under pressure to go since the trust's medics held a vote of no confidence into his management last summer. His leadership style had been criticised in an independent probe and local MPs even appealed to Ms Hewitt to intervene.

Now Mr Appleby will leave the trust next month and his retirement will cost them é475,000, including pension payments. In a statement, the trust said: "Mr Appleby's decision to take early retirement has been agreed by the trust."

The Greater Manchester Strategic Health Authority stressed there were no grounds for dismissing Mr Appleby. A spokesman said: "Mr Appleby was an effective chief executive who delivered on waiting times and financial management.

"We have been trying to mediate between the doctors and managers, but in the end it proved impossible."

'Disgusted'

Politicians who campaigned for Mr Appleby to go say they are "disgusted" by his payout. David Heyes, MP for Ashton under Lyne, said: "The large sums involved are a terrible contrast to the way other NHS employees are treated." Paul Rowen, MP for Rochdale, said: "I called for Appleby to be sacked after the report. If he had gone then he wouldn't be getting this payout."

In a statement, Mr Appleby said: "I have been struck by the commitment shown by staff at all levels. I am sure this determination will be instrumental in creating the sustainable services which will provide the best for patients using our hospitals."

Mr Appleby joined the trust in 2002 from the East Yorkshire and Royal Hull Trust. Concerns over management at the trust were raised by senior medical staff at all the hospitals who felt patient care was suffering in the drive to meet targets.

An independent report by Sir George Alberti, a former president of the Royal College of Physicians, found a "lethal mixture" of suspect leadership styles and pressure to improve standards had soured relations between doctors and managers.

WHAT do you think of Mr Appleby's grand pay-out? Have your say.

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Showing comments 1 to 18 and replies | View All

markyboy, manchester (06/04/2006 at 10:55)

the nhs in crisis - hang your head in shame appleby you money grubbing little person.
how many lives could be saved with this amount of money?.

Elaine Goodman, Oldham (06/04/2006 at 11:52)

Its too easy to criticise these payouts without knowing the full details. Running such a large NHS Trust is not an easy job. Perhaps someone who has worked hard for the NHS under greaet pressure all his life deserves to benefit from a decent pension?

JC, Manchester (06/04/2006 at 12:15)

Quote:
"Politicians who campaigned for Mr Appleby to go say they are "disgusted" by his payout. David Heyes, MP for Ashton under Lyne, said: "The large sums involved are a terrible contrast to the way other NHS employees are treated." Paul Rowen, MP for Rochdale, said: "I called for Appleby to be sacked after the report. If he had gone then he wouldn't be getting this payout."

For am MP to say this is disgusting. They vote themselves a massively improved pension while ensuring the rest of the country will be very poor in their retirement.

Now what were you saying about sacking???

Joe Public, Manchester (06/04/2006 at 13:22)

This type of incident seems to extend right across the public services. The lowly worker who falls foul of the establishment is sacked whilst the managers are 'let go' with a golden handshake --in this case more than 15 years salary at the National Average Earnings rate!! Managements luck is only bettered by MP's

Ace Riley, manchester (06/04/2006 at 13:40)

There goes those imortal words "early retirement " They are used by people who are high earners to cover such things as "Mistakes,illegal practise,slip ups,affairs with fellow workers Ect .These people should be left on the same footing as normal working people.Not given massive amounts of money to keep quiet and live happily ever after ..

Ms D, Manchester (06/04/2006 at 13:47)

"No confidence" and he still gets nearly half a million ? No wonder the NHS is in such dire straights with leeches like this taking out of the system. Disgraceful and it's money for old rope ! If there was no confidence then he couldn't do his job and the money would have been better spent on a scanner on something.

Angry, Rochdale (06/04/2006 at 16:13)

Good riddance to bad rubbish, him and his band of cronies have brought the once fine Rochdale A&E as well the Pennine NHS trust to its knees. Hope you can sleep at night. Where has the near 1/2 million quid come from?

And this man should come with a health warning to boot, good help the next hospital trust he lands at!!

ME, MANCHESTER (06/04/2006 at 17:32)

I think that whilst i agree that he should have resigned why should he miss out on his pension which will be high as im sure the contributions he paid from his salary were also high?

John Wood (Dr), London (06/04/2006 at 17:57)

And the Dept of Health , Mrs Hewitt and the Government are trying to blame the so called consultants pay rise for all the ills in the NHS!
Labour appears to reward failure look at the Dome managers, they all got bonuses eventhough the Dome was a failure. Neil Kinnock who never won an election got a plumb job in the EU just like Peter Mandelson!
Its time Tony & Co. to eave Westminster

Paul, Manchester (06/04/2006 at 18:20)

With NHS senior managers noses stuck deep in the trough and payoffs the size of lottery wins, is it any wonder that the NHS has financial problems?

Colin W, Stockholm (06/04/2006 at 19:11)

Welcome to Britain people

Councillor Jean Ashworth, Rochdale OL12-9AW (06/04/2006 at 23:22)

This is an absolute discrase, he had a massive vote of no confidence in his performance as Health Chief in the Pennine Acute, so he failed in his job.which in anybody's opinion is a sackable offence.
If you or I failed to fulfill our role we would be dismissed.sacked and shown the door.
After 4years in running and ruining the trust he has been given a huge reward of nearly half a million for failing his duties.
Just were does this money come from to reward him for the shambles he is leaving the Pennine Acute in ?

mike, pearce (07/04/2006 at 07:52)

absolutely disgusting. Those poor poor people faced with redundancy and this guy walks.
Maybe miss Hewitt could do something useful (for once) and intervene to stop this.

NHS doc, South Manchester (07/04/2006 at 09:04)

NHS money for clinical care given through tax - into a CEOs pocket, for performing badly - rather sums up New Labour and their political chums. Mind you cheaper than a seat in the Lords I suppose.

Hard Worker, Manchester (07/04/2006 at 12:20)

"Can i follow in Mr Applebys steps instead of going through the Agenda For Change, maybe this way i can pay my bills and live happily ever after"

ME, MANCHESTER (10/04/2006 at 22:51)

for goodness sake get a grip

M Calm, Manchester (12/04/2006 at 13:04)

Having read this article, it seems that this is not a half million pound payoff, but is inclusive of a pension, which no doubt Mr Appleby has paid into for many years. I think this article is inflammatory, particularly to those who did not read and understand that pension was included. The most frightening thing is that a Councillor leaving a comment is unable to spell!

Carol, Oldham (19/04/2006 at 21:30)

Chris has paid into the pension fund for 30 years, I think he deserves every penny of the pay off. He tried his best to bring the changes the government has demanded, the staff and patients don't seem to realise that the waiting lists are well within the targets, he and his team have kept the finances down too. I say good luck with what ever the future brings him. We can only ever ask for people to do their best. WELL DONE CHRIS.

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