Doubling Up

I am quite puzzled by the practice within Scotland's National Health Service whereby Employee Directors - who sit on health boards and bodies - are all paid for carrying out what I would regard as normal trade union duties. 

Now I'm all in favour of workers' representatives having a 'seat on the board' so to speak - but what I can't understand is why they should be paid for the privilege - especially as meetings are held during working time.

Which means of course that if Employee Directors are receiving their normal pay - and then another sum of money on top for attending meetings of the board - then they are actually being paid twice.

And that doesn't sit easily, as far as I can see, with a sense of 'public service values' - where people are giving something back instead of taking something out - or getting paid as much as they can for doing what amounts to a bit of unpaid voluntary work.

So here's a Freedom of Information request on the subject I've submitted to the Scottish Government - and I'll be interested to see what comes back. 

   

22 June 2013

By email to: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

Dear Scottish Ministers

FOISA Request

I would like to make the following request under the Freedom of Information Scotland Act (FOISA))2002.

1 How many Employee Directors currently sit on geographical health boards or other specialist health bodies within Scotland's NHS?

2 Do all of the Employee Directors get remunerated for carrying out this role and if so, what is the amount that is currently paid?

3 What is the logic behind any payment made to Employee Directors if they are allowed time-off with pay to attend meetings?

Please regard each of these requests as separate requests under FOISA 2002.

I look forward to your reply and would be grateful if you could respond by e-mail to me at: markirvine@compuserve.com

Kind regards


Mark Irvine