Underachieving trusts paying 'sky high salaries', campaigners say

Pressure group, the Taxpayers’ Alliance, has said NHS trusts are paying their bosses ‘sky high salaries’ despite failing to reach their targets.

(c) Anthony/Unsplash

(c) Anthony/Unsplash

Analysis by the group revealed over 1,500 senior managers received salaries over £100,000 in 2023-24, including 279 receiving between £200,000 and £300,000 and 17 who received over £300,000.

Shimeon Lee, policy analyst of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: ‘Taxpayers will be appalled that while NHS patients face prolonged waiting lists and dismal A&E performance, hundreds of senior managers are pocketing six-figure pay packets.

‘No one disputes that frontline staff deserve decent pay, but this rich list shows that there are sky-high salaries for senior bureaucrats, many in underachieving trusts, that are impossible to justify.'

University Hospitals Plymouth chief executive Ann James had the highest salary in 2023-24 of £382,500 (£397,500 total remuneration) despite ranking 95th out of 136 in England for A&E waiting times.

Publication of the salaries followed the Government's announcement that it will be linking executive salary to performance with a new ‘carrot and stick' approach.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘These figures relate to the previous Government's term in office.

‘This Government is introducing tough new measures in relation to senior managers' pay, to drive progress on cutting waiting lists. The NHS should pay to attract top talent, but there can be no more rewards to failure.

‘Under our new ‘carrot and stick' approach, we will offer incentives to recruit top talent to struggling trusts, while leaders who fail to cut waiting times will have their pay docked.'

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