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WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY SEES MAD SALARIES AT GREATER MANCHESTER NHS TRUST
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Star date: 10th October 2012
AS £80,000 IS CUT FROM SALFORD MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES...NHS TRUST DIRECTORS EARN OVER £100,000
Today is World Mental Health Day, which aims to `raise public awareness about mental health issues'. One of the biggest issues around mental health in Salford is a proposed cut of £80,000 to mental health services.
So today, as the Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust holds its Annual Members Meeting at The Lowry, the Salford Star raises public awareness of the salaries and perks of its Directors and Chief Officers…and there's no shortage of funding here!
Full details click here… |
click image to enlarge
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£80,000 SALFORD COUNCIL CUT TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE - £100,000s FOR MENTAL HEALTH FAT CATS
It's been a torrid month for users of Salford mental health services, since they found out that three community care workers posts were being axed to save £80,000. And that the workers would no longer be allowed to support the drop-in groups which, for many people with mental health disorders, are a lifeline to the outside world.
The decision is being made by Salford Council, as the `commissioners' of the service and the Greater Manchester West NHS Foundation Trust, as the `providers'. The decision is currently going through a consultation process with service users. Except that the option to retain the community care workers' posts and their support for the drop-in groups is, er, not an option, leading people to say that the consultation is a sham (see here).
A big campaign has sprung up to save the drop-in groups and over the past few weeks, Labour Party Leader Ed Miliband has been involved (see here) and so has Salford City Mayor, Ian Stewart (see here).
Today is World Mental Health Day which aims to `raise public awareness about mental health issues'. And today, the Greater Manchester West NHS Foundation Trust holds its Annual Members Meeting at The Lowry.
The Salford Star thought it might be a good idea to raise public awareness of the huge salaries and perks afforded to directors and officers working for the Trust, while it has been instrumental in pushing for the cut in Salford Council's mental health services…
Seven, very part time, Non Executive Directors shared well over £100,000 between them, according to the Trust's last published accounts for 2010-11. Its Chair, Alan Maden, received a salary in the band £40-45,000, three other Non Execs (M Chapman, Prof K Luker and B Slater) pocketed between £15-20,000; while a further three (J Bashford, T McDonnell and M Cowen) received between £10-15,000.
Meanwhile, the Trust's Chief Executive, Bev Humphrey, got a salary in the range of £135-140,000 plus £3,300 worth of leased car as a `benefit in kind'.
Three Trust Directors (A Maloney, J Peers and N Thwaite) earned between £95-100,000, with a leased car as a `benefit in kind' ranging from £700 to £1,500. Director of HR and Governance, A Maloney, got a huge pay rise of £30,000 from the previous year.
Medical Director, S Colgan got two lots of payments – a salary in the range of £95-100,00 plus `other remuneration' worth between £95-100,000, giving the Director just shy of £200,000.
And over at Salford Council, those directly making the £80,000 cut are not doing badly financially either - Sue Lightup, the Strategic Director for Community, Health and Social Care, got a salary package worth £133,777 last year, while Councillor Peter Connor, the Assistant Mayor with responsibility for Adult Services gets over £23,000 for his part time post (see here)
At the Annual Members Meeting today a new, more up to date, set of accounts will be produced for the Greater Manchester West NHS Foundation Trust, with, probably, more up to date news on the cuts to mental health services. And while those with mental health disorders suffer the brunt of those cuts, huge payments will continue to be paid to Directors, Non Exec Directors, Chief Execs, Strategic Officers and Assistant Mayors…
Happy World Mental Health Day!
See also Salford Star feature on what else is happening today at Start In Salford and the Willow Tree Centre - click here
UPDATE 8am 11th October…
Salford Council last night put out a press release `supporting World Mental Health Day' - at 6pm, when the Day was almost gone. In a shocking piece of hypocrisy, the release quoted Councillor Peter Connor, Assistant Mayor for Adult Services…
"We have a wealth of activities in Salford for older people from social groups to exercise classes which can get them out and about. Keeping physically and mentally active can help prevent depression."
Salford Council is, of course, looking to take support away from those very `social groups' that keep people `physically and mentally active' and `can help prevent depression'… That's what the campaign against cuts to Salford's Mental Health Services is all about! Shocking!
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Concerned wrote
at 16:23:13 on 12 October 2012 |
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| People with mental health issues struggle as it is to seek help, we may have tried to reduce the stigma of this invisible illness over the years but believe me its still there. Even if its not the opinions of others most mental health sufferers think that the problem is them. They are ashamed they feel degraded and they feel weak, so when help is not there they dismiss it and blame them selves for being so hopeless, and often are not in a position mentally to challenge it.
I base this on evidence and facts that come very regularly from people who are suffering.
If this is about saving money then please can I offer the impact of not receiving the appropriate help with regards finances. It is likely that it may actually cost more to not provide, lack of help and support to cope and even recover, well what could the costs be - unemployment or longer benefits claims, costs to the family emotionally and physically, more physical health deterioration caused by lack of motivation, healthy eating, alcohol and drug abuse, which all costs more. The need to be referred into other services, children suffering educationally and emotionally which costs more money, higher crime rates,increased anti social behaviours, which impacts on the wider community, and thats just to think about because there is so much more.We have the carers of some people, but who cares for them, this is a massive problem with both emotional and financial cost.
On top of that and we start at the beginning, we have a vulnerable person or a child often who is being let down by the system and not getting help.
What ever the service provision is that is lacking in mental health. |
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Mike Skeff wrote
at 15:08:49 on 12 October 2012 |
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| Good work once again Steve and the hypocrisy and greed of these people doesn't surprise me. They will of course continue in this way as there is no possibility of stopping them or this government with it's unnecessary cuts, unless there is direct prolonged action such as a general strike. People should remember: it wasn't the ordinary working people who created this mess it was the greed and corruption of politicians and bankers especially over the past couple of decades. It's time for the trade unions their members and supporters to draw the line and say 'thus far and no futher'. Just a note for Clever: Your efforts would be better rewarded if you could present an argument in favour of these cuts and a justification for the unjustified payments to the above mentioned people. Your comment posted on, 11th Oct, was a weak attempt to ridicule an informative piece of local journalism and an even more pathetic attempt at satire. Write on Stephen and the Salford Star. |
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A salford voter wrote
at 10:07:34 on 12 October 2012 |
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This is so wrong what we are finding out of late, How can such people sleep at night?
They sit on such boards,(a wink and a nod) and draw such totally out of proportion salary’s compared with me and Joe blogs, And i for one .am beginning to think are the élite, of Salford and can do as they please, and have no thought or compassion for the most poor and poorly in Salford And as in this case we see are poorly and poor of Salford residents are being Targeted are by very own Salford City Council, and nhs mental health trust, such residents must find it extremely hard to voice their own views and concerns. I was thinking. And will simply end up as lost souls, without decent and good support
Yet such, Directors/ Mayors /executives/seem As Bankers to make sure There extremely High and out of proportion salaries and perks and golden handshakes, Are well protected, ?
And such should lead by example, and at such times also take cuts to their salaries of say a third,
At such hard times we are going through , As i was personaly shocked me to see the vast amount such are on as are Salford High council officials /directors and such that We the tax payer and voters are paying to such people, And i will use my vote a bit more social thought added next time as I work dam hard and only receive 19k a year, and speaking to friends was thinking , god help me and my family if i ever become so unfortunate as to become mentally poorly as a resident living now in Salford.
As i am deeply concerned that are very own Salford Council. And now with reading this informative article, that this GMW mental health trust that i nether knew was supposed to help and look also after residents of Salford And how contract is supposed to be to provide the best care and look after Salford’s mentally poorly residents ?
And i feel so concerned, at what i am seeing and reading regarding such vulnerable Salford residents,
And also speaking to friends , there is a depressive state .slowly spreading round are City of late, and with cuts to are most vulnerable and public services, and staff ,And it is so worrying were it this lead
And we look to you Mr Mayor. But wonder when you are going to start being a Mayor, As believe me a lot are not impressed as it stands, with the way you are dealing with policy’s .and going on a bus round Salford , Will. Simply will not cut it .The Job You have taken on. is a extremely hard and difficult on at such times of deep austerity,
Salford needs to work as one entity .with one captain at the helm But with the hole of Salford behind you, And one’s own house needs to be put in order starting with Salford City Council
So as to Lead by Example by cutting the top massive salary’s some of your own City of Salford directors and executives receive , And do we actually now need some of them .as a resident i must also asked, a radical think and shake up with in the Salford Council needs to be looked at closely as i say to lead by example, ,. And elite clicks need to be broken up, but how am i to suggest such radical things and changes, , Just tax payer and a voter??
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veeball wrote
at 22:05:51 on 11 October 2012 |
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| Well Not happy again I think you may be right about councillor connor I am meeting him tom with our vice chair at of all places Cromwell House perhaps we could pursuade a phychiatrist to have a look at him labour should be seriously worried about this man. oh but wait a minute funds are tight and he earns enough to go private so perhaps not as we need all our resources as they are getting thinner and thinner.Well done star as usual you expose the truth and tell it like no other I have never enjoyed reading news articles so much.
Vee (Chair of U.S.U.C) |
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Not Happy wrote
at 16:13:25 on 11 October 2012 |
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| Councilor Peter Connor sorry mate but you an’t got a clue. Are you sure you haven’t got mental health problem like Schizophrenia because one day are saying one thing then the next day deigning it, I’d go and see some one about it if I was you but because of all the cuts you have done in Salford as Assistant Mayor for Adult Services there want be any body to see you. So is this your other self that’s said “We have a wealth of activities in Salford for older people from social groups to exercise classes which can get them out and about. Keeping physically and mentally active can help prevent depression.” So Councilor Conner please make your minds up |
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Not Happy wrote
at 15:49:49 on 11 October 2012 |
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| Yet again I am hearing about a few people who are called directors earning about 500,000 pounds between them for what? What do they do? They sit on boards and make decisions about mental health issues. Closing drop ins is probably one them which is going to save Salford Council and the N H S trust 80,000 pounds, this is for three drop ins. Cromwell House, Ramsgate House, Cleveland House, and other groups in Salford that are not safe from the cuts. About 2,500 people use these drop ins and groups. So by closing these drop ins and saving the trust 80,000 pounds the director have done there job, but they are still going to get there 500,000 pounds, so well done to the powers that be you saved 80,000 and made 2,500 people with mental health problems un sure of what’s happening to them and it’ only cost 500,000 pounds, so what’s more important peoples life’s or money, so come on Salford get your act to gether
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sue wrote
at 13:50:39 on 11 October 2012 |
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| well said steve as they say the rich get richer the poor have to beg as we are doing to keep our drop-ins open , shame on them . |
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concerned wrote
at 13:50:33 on 11 October 2012 |
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| I can feel really big problems being highlighted in mental health in Salford and it wont go better it will and can only go worse unless its sorted |
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Not Fooled wrote
at 10:27:30 on 11 October 2012 |
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| We love the Salford Star .
Clever , you are a clown .
Are you a clowncillor ? |
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Clever! wrote
at 06:55:35 on 11 October 2012 |
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| Well done. You can read an annual report that has been available for over three months and is readily available on websites and has been for ages. Call this news? Are you aware a man landed on the moon? Guess what? Next week, news about the wheel will be available too! |
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steve wrote
at 21:39:51 on 10 October 2012 |
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| No wonder the G.M.W.NHS.F.T need to save this £80.000
To fund this legal rip off to our much needed services.
That money would be better spent on these drop-ins. |
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