Yet more management costs
Dear East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust,
A recent reply to a request of mine shows that your Trust created management posts at a cost of over £600,000. This is at a time when you are probably paying millions in redundancy payments.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/a...
Your Trust claims "Paul Leaman’s role is leading and coordinating the reduction of manager, back office and admin posts" which seems to have actually resulted in him getting a new job.
It now transpires that a Daniel Gore (ex- West Midlands and Essex ambulance service) has been working for you for 2 months. Not that anyone seems to have been aware of this.
We know that the Trust spent a lot of money advertising a post late last year but didn't bother to interview any of the applicants.
I would like to know
A, Where was this job advertised externally as claimed by yourselves and what was the cost of that advertising?
B, What is the cost of this latest salary?
C, When Mr Leaman retires in 2 months, will his post be advertised as you seem to clearly think it is necessary at present?
Yours faithfully,
J Lowe
Dear J Lowe
Thank you for your email dated 20th August 2014 where you requested information regarding the East of England Ambulance Service.
Your request will be dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and we will respond to you within twenty working days. Your request has been allocated the following reference: F18473 and I would be grateful if you could quote this reference in any future correspondence with the Trust.
In order that we can ensure we are providing you with the correct information, for questions A and B please could you confirm which role you are enquiring about?
Once we have this information the Trust wil continue to process your request.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
FoI Officer
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Dear East of England Ambulance Service
My points A and B relate to Mr Gore. Sorry but I thought this was pretty evident.
Yours sincerely,
J Lowe
Dear J Lowe
Further to your email dated 24th September 2014, please find the Trust's response below.
A, Where was this job advertised externally as claimed by yourselves and what was the cost of that advertising?
The role of Transformation Director was advertised on NHS Jobs externally. Advertising a vacancy on NHS jobs costs the Trust nothing.
B, What is the cost of this latest salary?
The salary for the Transformation Director post falls within the Agenda for Change Band 9
C, When Mr Leaman retires in 2 months, will his post be advertised as you seem to clearly think it is necessary at present?
Mr Leaman’s substantive post was deleted from the structure last year and his temporary post in the organisation will end on his retirement at the end of this month. There are no plans to replace Mr Leaman. His role leading a team reviewing the Trust structure has undertaken a tremendous amount of work to reduce the back office and administrative costs in the organisation and has to date identified full year effect cost savings of £10m.
I am obliged to advise you that if you are dissatisfied with the Trust’s response to your request you have a right to complain to the Trust and should set out your concerns to the Freedom of Information Officer, EEAST, Hospital Approach, Broomfield, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 7WS or by email to [East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust request email]. If you remain dissatisfied following this, you have a right under Section 50 of the FOIA to seek a determination from the Information Commissioner on whether the Act has been properly applied by the Trust. For more information, please see www.ico.gov.uk.
Please do not hesitate to contact me should you require any further information.
Kind regards
FoI Officer
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Dear East of England Ambulance Service
I appreciate your reply. I have just found that band 9 posts attract a salary of up to £98,453.
I would have thought when Mr Leamans original post was deleted then that would have been a good time to bring in a "transformation director" rather than have two similar posts running at the same time.
I note you mention his work in saving £10,000,000 but in the first 8 months since Dr Marsh took over £7,500,000 has been given to private ambulance companies.
This compares to a total spend by his West Midlands Trust last year of just £1,169,926.
I also find it unusual that a response should include the phrase "tremendous amount of work". That is not a matter of recorded information but merely an opinion expressed by an anonymous respondent and as such should not be used or expressed.
That is why I normally only ask for facts and figures and with no added "spin".
Yours sincerely,
J Lowe
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