Hidden worth of golden goodbyes

The Department of Health seems to be hiding the scale of pay-offs to top staff in its latest annual report and accounts covering the financial year ending March 2013.

Other departmental annual reports show the number of pay-offs in bands of £50,000 (see Fact Service, issue 44). At the very top, the DoH only shows that there were 91 “exit packages” last year of above £200,000, but no further breakdown with higher bands is provided.

As the report covers civil servants and the NHS trusts and other quangos, the figures may well cover pay-offs running into seven figures. But as far as the DoH is concerned that is for everyone to find out as it isn’t telling anybody.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/229996/Annual_Report.pdf