Rehab gets a new board - It’s time to help charities again

Those at the centre of the scandals that so damaged the Central Remedial Clinic and Rehab can insist that they did nothing wrong, but the public perception is that executive pay and pensions at those government-supported charities were a pretty shabby example of snouts-in-the-trough greed.

They are also regarded as a betrayal of the public who supported those organisations, their front-line staff, and those who used their services. The scandals have had some positive consequences though — legislation around charities is under review and a Charity Regulatory Authority has been established.

Charities are more transparent about how they use funds raised from the public. Had these disciplines been in place earlier, it is just possible, though not at all certain, that the pay-and-pensions abuses that hit all charities might never have occurred. The impact the scandals had on all charities was significant. A survey of 950 organisations taken in the aftermath reported that 61% have seen their fundraising efforts badly damaged, almost half said donations have fallen by up to 10%.