Time for NHS Hounslow Chief Exec to engage with Isleworth & Brentford councillors

12.00.00am GMT Tue 22nd Dec 2009

Cllr Dakers Joseph Bourke and Mona Naqvi outside Brentford Health Centre

Cllr Andrew Dakers, Leader of Hounslow Liberal Democrats, today raised his concerns in public at the Chief Exec of NHS Hounslow, Nick Relph's, lack of engagement with councillors in Isleworth & Brentford - one of the fastest growing parts of Hounslow Borough. Mr Relph was invited this Autumn by local area committee chair Cllr Shirley Fisher to speak to local councillors on the trust's current development plans, but has to date not made himself available. Mr Relph was recently revealed by the Taxpayers Alliance as one of the highest earners in the public sector with a salary of £202,500 per annum. UPDATE: The Chair of NHS Hounslow has agreed to speak to the local area committee in March, although the Mr Relph is still unavailable to attend.

Cllr Andrew Dakers, Lib Dem Prospective MP for Brentford & Isleworth Constituency, said:

"Given the high population growth, ensuring investment in healthcare infrastructure has been a major focus over the past three years for councillors on Isleworth & Brentford Area Committee.

"Whilst we appreciate public servants are often very busy and working under a lot of pressure, not being available to speak to a key committee of the Council is extraordinary.

"That Mr Relph is one of the highest paid individuals in the public sector and still can not make himself available to discuss local healthcare needs and investment plans is extremely disappointing. Yet again this raises fundamental questions regarding the widening gap between the top and bottom of public sector pay under the Labour government and whether it actually delivers value for money. I hope he adopts a different approach in the New Year."

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Previous questioning of NHS Hounslow by the local area committee led Cllrs Jon Hardy and Andrew Dakers to collaborate in supporting an in depth scrutiny study that was published in early 2009. See http://www.hounslow.gov.uk/gp_access_project_report.pdf

2. Hounslow PCT Nick Relph (Interim Chief Executive) and Darren Cattell (Interim Director of Finance and Performance Management) both appeared on the Public Sector Rich List 2009. Published by the TaxPayers' Alliance, the list shows the remuneration details of 806 public sector workers earning £150,000+. Nick Relph appears 276 on the list earning £202,500 -- £6,250 more than Gordon Brown earns as Prime Minister. Darren Cattell appears at 649 on the list earning £162,500.