Myton CEO defends salaries for senior staff after criticism

The Times newspaper last week criticised hospices for paying high salaries to their most senior employees while relying on volunteers.

Myton was among the three paying out the highest proportion of its funds in the whole of the country with at least 6.6 per cent of its £10.6million income shared among eight members of staff.

The Myton Hospices paid these employees salaries of between £60,000 and £110,000.

But charity bosses have defended the charity’s position, stating the importance of attracting “the highest calibre of clinical and non-clinical managers” and fundraisers to help care for thousands of patients.

CEO Kate Lee has published an open response defending the high salaries for herself and the directors of income generation, finance, strategy, nursing and medicine,

She said it was down to their expertise and knowledge that the hospice was able to operate so successfully.

She also made it clear that as the charity does not pay performance bonuses and puts huge pressure on its senior staff.

Ms Lee said: “This week Myton has had an onslaught of press coverage about how much my senior management team and I are paid.

“We need to attract and employ staff that understand the NHS commissioning but are prepared to earn about 20 per cent less than they would if they just worked for the NHS.

“Our entire voluntary income is based on our reputation as an amazing provider of end of life care, getting it wrong with just one family could have a devastating effect on the entire operation.

“My director of income generation has a target of 117 times her salary. What does she get if she achieves it? Nothing, no bonuses or commission.

“The director of finance has the responsibility for ensuring every single penny we spend on non-salaries at Myton is spent wisely. This financial year she has already saved over £100,000.”

In 2013, the charity paid two members of senior staff between £100,000 and £110,000 compared to none at this level the year before.

The other six highest paid members earnt between £60,000 and £90,000 in this year.

Ms Lee said these top staff have also secured a £200k contribution from the NHS for the six new palliative care beds which will help care for an extra 72 patients in Coventry next year.

She concluded by saying: “I want every single person in Coventry and Warwickshire to live well and have a good, natural death, the way they want it to be with their loved ones supported, but I must attract the best and brightest if I have a cat in hell’s chance of achieving it.”

Read the CEO’s statement in full, here.