Know Your Enemy

"We are deeply concerned about the use of compromise agreements and special severance payments to terminate employment in the public sector. It is clear that confidentiality clauses may have been used in compromise agreements to cover up failure, and this is simply outrageous. ... We heard evidence of shocking examples of using taxpayers' money to 'pay off' individuals who have flagged up concerns about patient or child safety. It is vital that people feel free to speak out to help prevent terrible tragedies or even deaths, and protecting the reputation of an organisation, such as the NHS, at the expense of public safety is unacceptable."

Margaret Hodge MP, speaking in her capacity as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. Outrageous indeed, though not something that's entirely surprising - or perhaps that's just my cynical, jaded side coming to the fore, partly as a result of rewatching the original UK TV adaptation of House Of Cards recently...