‘Doing a Hewitt’: Introducing the new Norfolk Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) Chair: Patricia ‘BUPA’ Hewitt

What is it about Members of Parliament for Leicester?

Patricia Hewitt was the Secretary of State for Health from 2005 until 2007.

Despite being a Labour MP and supposed supporter of the NHS, after leaving the Cabinet Patricia Hewitt got herself a lucrative appointment as ‘special consultant’ to the world’s largest chemists, Alliance Boots, which resulted in objections to her appointment by members of a Parliamentary committee. She ‘earned’ £306 per hour from Alliance Boots whilst still being paid an MP’s salary to supposedly represent her constituents.

Despite being a Labour MP and supposed supporter of the NHS, Patricia Hewitt also got herself made ‘senior adviser’ to private equity company Cinven, which paid £1.4 billion for BUPA’s private hospitals. She ‘earned’ £575 per hour from Cinven whilst still being paid an MP’s salary to supposedly represent her constituents.

In 2010, Patricia Hewitt was suspended by the Labour Party over her lobbying activities, exposed by the Channel 4 programme, Dispatches.

Now this towering ethical figure has been chosen to lead the NHS cuts process in Norfolk.

The euphemism for this secretive and unaccountable cuts programme is ‘Sustainability and Transformation Plan’ or STP. Although it is claimed that the cuts are required due to changing demographics and increasing demands, even the bureaucrats’ own figures show that at least forty per cent of the cuts are due to inflation – i.e. government funding of the NHS being cut in real terms.

How much is Patricia Hewitt being paid for cutting the NHS in Norfolk?

Surely we can do better than this?

Watch and weep:

2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc

Alliance Boots Services Ltd (special consultant). Address: 2 The Heights, Brooklands, Weybridge, Surrey. Provide advice and attend meetings.
23 July 2009, received payment of £4,600 (including £600 VAT). Hours: Approx. 15hrs. (Registered 3 August 2009)
28 August 2009, received payment of £4,600 (including £600 VAT). Hours: Approx. 15hrs. (Registered 29 August 2009)
22 September 2009, received payment of £4,600 (including £600 VAT). Hours: Approx. 15hrs. (Registered 1 October 2009)
22 October 2009, received payment of £4,600 (including £600 VAT). Hours: Approx. 15 hrs. (Registered 4 November 2009)
22 November 2009, received payment of £4600 (including £600 VAT). Hours: approx. 15 hrs. (Registered 3 December 2009)
22 December 2009, received payment of £4,600 (including £600 VAT). Hours: approx. 15 hrs. (Registered 16 March 2010)

Senior Adviser, Cinven, Warwick Court, Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7AG.
7 October 2009, received payment of £15,000 (plus £2,250 VAT) for advice and attendance at meetings July-September 2009. Hours: Approx. 30 hrs. (Registered 11 October 2009)
31 December 2009, received payment of £15,000 (plus £2,250 VAT) for advice and attending meetings October-December 2009. Hours: approx. 30 hrs. (Registered 16 March 2010)
25 March 2010, received payment of £6250 (plus VAT). Hours: approx. 15 hrs. (Registered 8 April 2010)

BT Group plc (senior independent director and chair of the Remuneration Committee and the Pensions Review Group). Address: BT Centre, 81 Newgate Street, London, EC1A 7AJ. Prepare for and attend the AGM, Board and other meetings, and offer advice.
31 July 2009, received payment of £9,475 (gross). Hours: Approx. 28hrs. (Registered 3 August 2009)
28 August 2009, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: Approx. 28hrs. (Registered 29 August 2009)
30 September 2009, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: Approx. 28hrs. (Registered 1 October 2009)
30 October 2009, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: Approx. 28 hrs. (Registered 4 November 2009)
30 November 2009, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: approx. 28 hrs. (Registered 3 December 2009)
30 December 2009, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: approx. 28 hrs. (Registered 16 March 2010)
31 January 2010, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: approx. 28 hrs. (Registered 16 March 2010)
28 February 2010, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: approx. 28 hrs. (Registered 16 March 2010)
31 March 2010, received payment of £12,500 (gross). Hours: approx. 28 hrs. (Registered 8 April 2010)