MORE than £600,000 of taxpayer’s cash is paying for FIVE public health bosses for Birmingham a year despite the city being shamed for its obesity, infant death and TB record.

Two NHS directors – Dr Jacky Chambers for Heart of Birmingham Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Dr Chris Spencer Jones for South Birmingham PCT – earn more than Prime Minister David Cameron.

While Mr Cameron picks up a wage of £142,500, Dr Chambers and Dr Spencer Jones are among the highest-paid public health chiefs in the UK with salaries of between £145,000 and £150,000.

There are currently five directors overseeing public health issues out of the public purse for Birmingham, one for each of the city’s three NHS PCTs, one at the region’s health authority and one at Birmingham City Council.

Dr Rashmi Shukla, regional director at NHS West Midlands, earns around £130,000 plus around £40,000 remuneration, while Nicola Benge, for Birmingham East and North PCT, has a wage of £95,000 to £100,000 and Jim McManus, the public health director employed by Birmingham City Council, earns £85,000 to £89.999.

Despite some improvement, the city is still recording among the worst public health figures in the UK and Europe.

Emma Boon, from the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers are sick and tired of seeing public sector staff rewarded for failure.

“These health directors are overseeing an area with appalling figures for obesity, infant mortality and sexual health that hardly seems like it merits a six-figure salary.

“At a time when our healthcare system needs to work more efficiently and save money Birmingham cannot afford to pay senior execs generous sums if they aren’t delivering results.

“Reducing things like teenage pregnancy can save money so it’s hugely important that these figures are improved.”