A NEW health system for Suffolk swung into action yesterday with bosses claiming immediate savings of nearly £900,000.Four Primary Care Trusts in the county have been amalgamated into one PCT, which has created a huge saving in management costs.

By Richard Smith

A NEW health system for Suffolk swung into action yesterday with bosses claiming immediate savings of nearly £900,000.

Four Primary Care Trusts in the county have been amalgamated into one PCT, which has created a huge saving in management costs.

There has been a reduction of 11-and-a-half director posts with a net saving of £877,000, which immediately helps the PCT with the massive task of cutting crippling health debts in Suffolk.

The top earner in the new structure is Carole Taylor-Brown, chief executive, with an annual salary of £130,000 and Julian Herbert, director of finance and performance, is second with nearly £98,000.

Caroline Tuohy, director of commissioning and development, is on £85,000, and Wendy Smith, director of communications and external relations, earns £72,000.

Tony Robinson, interim chairman of the PCT, said at the first meeting of the new PCT: “Salaries for the posts are determined by the national very senior managers' pay framework, all of whom were subject to a standard assessment and selection process.

“The new director structure has been developed in compliance with the relevant national frameworks and reflects a significant saving against the previous structures whilst also ensuring that those recruited meet the exacting standards required to fulfil their new roles.”

The huge restructuring of the NHS in Suffolk, which began yesterday, includes the opening of new headquarters in Rushbrook House, Paper Mill Lane, Bramford.

This brings under one roof various offices scattered throughout the county but this has already proved to be controversial due to the costs involved and criticism about public transport facilities.

Mrs Taylor-Brown emphasised that it would be a “very cost effective move” for the PCT with savings of £54,000 a year.

“The location to a single site could offer increased opportunity for car sharing and other sustainable solutions which the PCT will explore and encourage

“The site at Rushbrook House is functional and cost effective, meets the requirement for accessibility and county-based location, noting that there are some constraints which will be addressed as the area around the site is developed in accordance with district council's intentions,” she said.

The first board meeting was held in Kesgrave and the next will be at the Gibson Centre, Newmarket, on November 29 while the new headquarters in Bramford is finished.

richard.smith@eadt.co.uk