THE nursing union backing a national strike gave its former leader £62,000 after she stood down from her post last year.
Dame Donna Kinnair quit as general secretary and chief exec of the Royal College of Nursing in June 2021 citing ill health after a bike accident.
But new figures show she received a “post employment payment” of £62,646 — nearly double the average pay for nurses — on top of £119,025 pay for six months of 2021.
After she left, it emerged she was suspended over claims she had accepted hospitality from financier George Farha while on holiday in Morocco.
Dame Donna was also accused of holding four meetings with then Health Secretary Matt Hancock without telling RCN officials and for failing to declare earnings from other organisations.
Within two weeks of an inquiry being launched she stepped down, with the union’s 465,000 members unaware she was the subject of a disciplinary probe.
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She was replaced in July by Pat Cullen who was paid £100,697 last year for eight and a half months work.
Ms Cullen has overseen the RCN strike ballots and announced that for the first time ever nurses at many hospitals would take industrial action before Christmas and could continue striking until next May.
The RCN said it does not disclose information on ex-employees.
