The Department of Health has been criticised for paying £1000 per person for a training course in Hertfordshire.

The two-day residential course is designed to give leadership support to managers and future managers in the National Health Service. Between 30 and 40 people are believed to be attending the event, which is running due to the level of discrimination experienced in the past by gay and lesbian staff in the NHS.

Gay rights group, Stonewall, have organised the event. Head of policy, Ruth Hunt, said, “We know that gay people working in the NHS experience a lot of discrimination, which can affect their performance, so the idea is…to develop a leadership programme which looks at how to get the best out of people.”

However, the course has been criticised by the TaxPayers’ Alliance. Campaign director, Emma Boon, has pointed out that, given the current climate of cuts, it’s unbelievable that the Government should waste money on a “luxury junket for managers”. She added, “It’s questionable whether or not gay managers need specific training and marking them out for special treatment like…high-end breaks in mansions could even create resentment.”

Other groups have also voiced disapproval. Katherine Murphy, of the Patients Association, said, “It’s absolutely shocking that at a time of such austerity in the NHS, when we are hearing about job cuts on a daily basis, and appalling treatment of patients, that officials will spent exorbitant sums on this kind of initiative.” Murphy went on to question the luxurious location, asking, “Why is it that when NHS managers get training, they get to stay in luxury surroundings, and enjoy all the trappings and finery? This is a totally different world to what goes on in the wards.”

A Department of Health spokesperson responded to the criticism, saying, “We are funding this programme to create a network of skilled and senior people to promote lesbian, gay and bisexual equality at local and regional levels.” He declined to comment on the venue, pointing out that it was picked by Stonewall in line with the allocated budget.