SURPRISE has been voiced that Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board has been paying independent members of the board, despite the Welsh Government taking over management.

Betsi Cadwaladr is currently in special measures with the Welsh Government effectively running the board, and Mid and West Wales regional AM Simon Thomas said he was surprised that payments had still been being made to appointees on the board.

This follows the revelation in November 2015 that the health board would continue to pay the salary of ousted former chief executive Trevor Purt for a year after he left the board and started working for a health board in England.

Mr Purt had initially been suspended on full pay before it was announced that he was on secondment to an English health board.

He is now no longer employed by Betsi Cadwaladr or the Welsh NHS.

Mr Thomas insisted that was “rewarding failure” in addressing the issues in Betsi Cadwaladr.

He said: “The chief executive was suspended and then Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board itself was taken into special measures. We seem to be rewarding failure by paying allowances for board members after the board was taken into special measures.

“It seems strange that money was paid to chief executive Trevor Purt after he began working in England.

“I’m sure taxpayers in Hywel Dda Health Board and Betsi Cadwaladr areas will be astounded that Trevor Purt was paid after he left Wales.”

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