Remuneration and staff report

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).