Walsall health bosses pay £150k to suspended staff

Inadequate Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, which runs Walsall's Manor Hospital, paid £147,628 to suspended staff between April 2013 and March 2016.

The money is made up of 22 suspensions, including one staff nurse who was suspended for a whopping 10 months before being dismissed. She was paid more than £23,000 during this period, some of which was made up of sick leave, and was sacked for 'misuse of official position and intentionally deceiving the trust'.

Of the 22 suspensions, eight staff were dismissed, eight were given a final warning, four had no case to answer, one was given formal counselling and one quit the trust.

There were 11 paid suspensions in the 2013/14 financial year at a cost of £92,319, compared to five at a cost of £20,923 in 14/15 and six at a cost of £34,386 in 15/16.

Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust did not confirm the exact roles of the 22 suspended staff, but did confirm 15 were clinical and seven non-clinical.

Louise Ludgrove, the interim director of organisational development and HR for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said any suspension decision is taken following 'careful consideration'.

She added: "In common with other large organisations throughout the country, we take the decision to suspend a member of staff after carefully considering individual circumstances on a case by case basis. This might include following an allegation of misconduct or gross misconduct, or if there is the need to remove them from their normal duties and it is not appropriate for them to work elsewhere within the Trust.

“This decision is taken following careful consideration of the information available and is a neutral act that does not assume guilt which is why suspended staff continue to receive their pay. The Trust considers suspension is appropriate and justified if it defuses a particular situation in the workplace, removes a potential risk to patients, staff and property and better allows a thorough investigation.

“In accordance with the ACAS Code of Practice (2009) the Trust endeavours to make this period as brief as possible, and it is kept under four-weekly review. While we work to conclude matters swiftly, investigations can be lengthy due to the gathering of evidence and availability of witnesses.”