Remuneration and staff report
The remuneration and staff report sets out our remuneration policy for directors and senior managers, reports on how that policy has been implemented and sets out the amounts awarded.
Remuneration and Appointments Committee
The Trust’s Chair chairs the committee, and the membership comprises all the Non-Executive Directors. The committee is considered quorate if it has a minimum of three Non-Executive Directors present.
The Chief Executive attends all meetings of the committee but is not present for discussions about her own remuneration. The Chief People Officer attends but is not present for discussions about her own remuneration. The committee:
- determines the remuneration and terms of service of the Chief Executive and those Directors that report directly to the Chief Executive and any other senior managers as agreed by the Chief Executive and the Board
- reviews the performance of those Directors who report directly to the Chief Executive, through reports submitted by the Chief Executive. The Chair will similarly report on the performance of the Chief Executive
- periodically reviews pay data from similar organisations to ensure that appropriate arrangements have been made for the salaries of these Directors
- oversees appropriate contractual arrangements for such staff, including the calculation and scrutiny of termination payments, for these and other senior staff, taking account of such national guidance as is appropriate, in accordance with Trust Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions
- authorises compulsory redundancy cases, unless the compulsory redundancy is a board director or the payment exceeds £150,000. Any special payments not involving exit or severance but are not contractual (i.e not compulsory redundancy) require HR Treasury approval.
Performance arrangements
Most senior managers have a basic salary which is based on national ‘Agenda for Change’ pay and remuneration guidelines. Such managers are subject to annual performance appraisal in accordance with Trust processes.
The performance of Executive Directors is assessed by the Chief Executive on an annual basis. The Chair appraises the performance of Non-Executive Directors and the Chief Executive.
Executive Directors remain on local conditions of service, and their salaries are reviewed annually by the Remuneration Committee. Executive Directors received the nationally agreed pay award of 3.25% in compliance with the NHS Very Senior Managers pay framework and implemented in accordance with NHSE guidance. The Medical Director received the national pay award agreed for Consultants, and the 3.25% pay award for managerial responsibilities. Contractual notice periods are no more than six months in accordance with national NHS guidance on notice periods.
Fair pay disclosure
NHS bodies are required to disclose pay ratio information and detail concerning percentage change in remuneration regarding the highest paid Director.
The percentage change in the salary and allowance of the highest paid Director in the financial year 2025 — 2026 was -2.06% (2024 — 2025, 2.11%).
The banded remuneration of the highest paid director / member in the financial year 2025 — 2026 was £235-£240k (2024 — 2025, £240-£245k). The highest paid Director in 2025 — 2026 (and 2024 — 2025) was the Medical Director.
The percentage change in salaries and allowances of all employees excluding the highest paid director in the financial year 2024 — 2025 was 6.0% (2024 — 2025, 3.6%). A performance pay and/or bonus was not paid to the highest paid Director in 2025 — 2026 (2024 -2025 nil). There was no change in performance pay and/or bonuses for all employees excluding the highest paid Director in either year.
The rations have improved between current and prior years, as shown in this table:
Total remuneration includes salary, non-consolidated performance-related pay, benefits-in-kind, but not severance payments. It does not include employer pension contributions and the cash equivalent transfer value of pensions.
Reporting bodies are required to disclose the relationship between the remuneration of the highest-paid Director/member in their organisation against the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile of remuneration of the organisation’s workforce. Total remuneration is further broken down to show the relationship between the highest paid director's total remuneration against the 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile of salary components of the organisation’s workforce.
In 2025 — 2026 and 2024 — 2025 no employees received remuneration in excess of the highest-paid director / member. Remuneration ranged from £24,869 to £239,000 (£22,545 to £242,500).
Staffing Report
Senior Managers: In 2025 — 2026, we employed eleven Very Senior Managers and nine Non-Executive Directors as reported within the Director’s remuneration and benefit section of this report. We define Very Senior Managers as being those people who attend the Trust Board meeting and have authority or responsibility of directing or controlling major activities within the Trust.
Overall staff costs increased by 11.4% to £263.8m compared to £236.9m in 2024 — 2025. The average number of WTE employed increased by 131 (3.7%) from 3,492 in 2024 — 2025 to 3,624 in 2025 — 2026 (the permanent staff number in 2025 — 2026 is 3,123).
Average number of employees (WTE basis)
NB 1: The permanent number of staff throughout the Annual Report and Accounts 2025 — 2026 is rounded to 3,100.
Staffing policies
The Trust is committed to fair, inclusive and supportive staffing practices that promote retention, wellbeing and career development across the organisation. Our Recruitment Policy ensures that applications from people with disabilities are treated equitably: any candidate with a disability who meets the essential criteria will be shortlisted, reasonable adjustments will be anticipated and provided to enable attendance at interview, and vacancies are communicated in accessible formats. The Trust holds Disability Confident Committed accreditation with the Department for Work and Pensions and, as part of that commitment, continues to:
- Ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible
- Proactively promote vacancies through accessible channels
- Offer interviews to disabled applicants who meet essential criteria
- Anticipate and provide reasonable adjustments for candidates and staff
- Support employees who acquire a disability or long ‑ term health condition to remain in or return to work.
Our people management framework further supports staff development and performance through clear, consistent policies. The Supervision Policy requires regular, meaningful supervision for all staff. The Learning Development Policy for non ‑ medical staff provides structured learning and career progression opportunities, while the Performance and Development Review (PADR) Policy identifies and addresses development needs. These policies are applied consistently to ensure equitable access to opportunities for staff with protected characteristics.
The works closely with Occupational Health to identify and implement reasonable adjustments that enable safe and sustained employment. The Raising Concerns Policy clarifies staff rights and the procedure for reporting legitimate concerns; the Guardian Service provides confidential support and thematic feedback that informs organisational learning and improvement.
Organisational change is managed in line with our policies and with early, meaningful engagement of trade union representatives and the joint staff consultation committee (JCC). Staff are consulted on both informal and formal bases, given opportunities to contribute to proposals, and supported to suggest alternatives where appropriate. These arrangements are underpinned by regular monitoring and review of our Policies with Staffside to ensure policies remain effective, accessible and aligned with the Trust’s workforce and equality objectives.
Consultancy Expenditure
In 2025 — 2026, the Trust spent £109k on consultancy services (£292k in 2024 — 2025).
Off Payroll engagements
A Treasury requirement for public sector bodies to report arrangements whereby individuals are paid through their own companies (and so are responsible for their own tax and NI arrangements, not being classed as employees) was introduced in 2012/13. Revised reporting requirements have been in place since April 2017 and incorporate an increase to the contractor reporting rate to £245 per day and also reformation of legislation underpinning what is normally referred to as IR35. The Trust must disclose all off payroll engagements earning more than £245 per day and lasting longer than six months.
There were no disclosable Off Payroll engagements.
Exit Packages
Comparative data on exit packages is below and shows a decrease in number and value in 2025 -2026 compared to the previous year.
Exit packages: other (non-compulsory) departure payments
Directors benefits for 2025 — 2026
As Non-Executive members do not receive pensionable remuneration, there will be no entries in respect of pensions for Non-Executive members.
Cash equivalent transfer values
A Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) is the actuarially assessed capital value of the pension scheme benefits accrued by a member at a particular point in time. The benefits valued are the member’s accrued benefits and any contingent spouse’s pension payable from the scheme. A CETV is a payment made by a pension scheme or arrangement to secure pension benefits in another pension scheme or arrangement when the member leaves a scheme and chooses to transfer the benefits accrued in their former scheme. The pension figures shown relate to the benefits that the individual has accrued as a consequence of their total membership of the pension scheme, not just their service in a senior capacity to which disclosure applies. The CETV figures and the other pension details include the value of any pension benefits in another scheme or arrangement which the individual has transferred to the NHS pension scheme. They also include any additional pension benefit accrued to the member as a result of their purchasing additional years of pension service in the scheme at their own cost CETVs are calculated in accordance with Statutory Instrument 2008 no.1050 Occupational Pension Schemes (Transfer Values) Regulations 2008.
Real increase in CETV
This reflects the increase in CETV effectively funded by the employer. It does not take account of the increase in accrued pension due to inflation, contributions paid by the employee (including the value of any benefits transferred from another scheme or arrangement) and uses common market valuation factors for the start and end of the period.
Disclosure of Senior Managers Remuneration for 2025 — 2026
Dr Boland was on planned paid leave from 7.02.2025 to 03.04.2025 with Dr Whyte providing cover. Dr Boland’s remuneration for 2025 — 2026 includes £95-£100k for his Medical Director role. Dr Whyte’s remuneration for 2025 — 2026 includes £0-£5k for his Medical Director role.
The pension benefits table provides further information on the pension benefits accruing to the individuals.
Directors Pension Benefits for 2025 — 2026
The value of pension benefits accrued during the year is calculated as the real increase in pension multiplied by 20, less, the contributions made by the individual. The real increase excludes increases due to inflation or any increase or decrease due to a transfer of pension rights. This value does not represent an amount that will be received by the individual. It is a calculation that is intended to convey to the reader of the accounts an estimation of the benefit that being a member of the pension scheme could provide.
Factors determining the variation in the values recorded between individuals include but is not limited to:
- A change in role with a resulting change in pay and impact on pension benefits.
- A change in the pension scheme itself
- Changes in contribution rates
- Changes in the wider remuneration package of an individual.
The pension benefit table provides further information on the pension benefits accruing to the individual.
Mrs Katherine Robinson joined the pension scheme during the year.
The following items in the remuneration report are subject to audit:
- Directors remuneration and pension benefits
- Fair pay disclosures
- Exit packages
- Staff numbers and cost