By Sophie Borland Health Reporter PUBLISHED: 20:04 EST, 15 September 2013 | UPDATED: 07:21 EST, 18 September 2013 Earlier this year, the embattled head of the NHS Sir David Nicholson, pictured, implied there had been only one such payment Health service bosses have spent £4million in just three years secretly gagging whistleblowers concerned about patient care. A total of 133 doctors, nurses and other staff have been quietly paid off in return for not speaking out. Yet earlier this year, the embattled head of the NHS Sir David Nicholson implied there had been only one such payment. It followed revelations that Gary Walker, former boss of United Lincolnshire Hospitals, was given £500,000 to leave quietly after repeatedly warning that targets were being put ahead of patients.
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It followed revelations that Gary Walker, former boss of United Lincolnshire Hospitals, was given £500,000 to leave quietly
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Figures obtained by Tory MP Steve Barclay sharply contradict his assertion. They show 41 such payments were made last year alone
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77 NHS trusts, including hospitals and GP bodies, spent £3.9million on judicial mediation deals for 133 staff from 2009/10 to 2012/13
Mr @placeholder said: ‘It appears David Nicholson either didn’t know about this failure within the NHS which led to it wasting millions of pounds even though he is the accountable officer for this money.