'We want real doctors not spin doctors’

As seen in this report

An NHS body is offering to pay more than £90,000 a year to a PR guru - despite the threat of 500 job losses in Times Territory.

The East of England Strategic Health Authority is offering a salary range of £80,000 to £90,000 for a director of communications, with "more available for exceptional candidates".

This figure is nearly FIVE times the starting salary of a newly-qualified nurse, who can expect to earn a little over £19,000 a year.

The SHA is one of 10 new bodies created in England earlier this year and oversees the work of primary care, hospital, ambulance and mental health trusts in the region

The news comes amid the threat of redundancy for hundreds of staff who work at the QE2 and Lister Hospitals.

A spokesman defended the salary, saying: "Communications is a vital task in the NHS.

"This is an important post, the role of which is to ensure good and effective communications between patients, public and the different parts of the NHS across the region.

"The salary for this post is in line with similar jobs in the public sector. Salary ranges are set according to a range of factors including responsibility levels and market forces."

But Welwyn Hatfield MP Grant Shapps hit out at the figure, branding it "absolutely outrageous".

He said: "People in Welwyn Hatfield will be appalled to hear of this. We want real doctors, not spin doctors.

"Because we've been betrayed over the pledge of the Hatfield superhospital, this money would be much better spent in keeping open maternity, A&E or any of the other departments under threat of closure at the QE2."

- North East Herts MP Oliver Heald was also critical.

He said: "At a time when 1,000 jobs in Hertfordshire in the NHS are threatened, it seems incredible that the priority of the strategic health authority is to bring in highly paid spin doctors."

- Labour MP Barbara Follett, whose Stevenage constituency includes Knebworth and Codicote, blamed the need for the post on the media.

She said: "Good, clear communication between the regional health service and the public is absolutely vital.

"Without it we get the kind of scare stories that have been appearing in our local press recently.

"Good communicators do not come cheaply but the salary for this post is in line with similar ones in the public sector.

"I wish such posts were not necessary. Perhaps if our press were more responsible they would not be.

Maybe they need someone to explain their screw-ups?