26-05-2025
NHS managers paid six-figure salaries despite poor performance
Hundreds of senior NHS managers are pocketing six-figure salaries despite poor performance at their trusts.
Over 500 health service managers received higher salaries than the Prime Minister in the financial year 2023-24, according to new analysis by the Taxpayers' Alliance.
The highest-paid manager in the NHS was the head of a trust which ranked 95th out of 136 in England for waiting times in A&E.
Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, has announced a new system where NHS chief executives who cut waiting times could be awarded bonuses of up to 10 per cent.
He also announced that the Government would award pay rises to senior NHS managers of 3.25 per cent, in line with recommendations by the NHS Senior Salaries Review Body.
According to the TaxPayers' Alliance, 1,694 senior managers at the NHS received more than £100,000 in remuneration, including salary, benefits, bonuses and pension contributions, between 2023 and 2024.
More than 250 were in receipt of salaries between £100,000 and £200,000 and 17 were on more than £300,000.
The highest-paid NHS executive was Ann James, the chief executive of University Hospitals Plymouth, who received almost £400,000 in total remuneration.
The trust with the lowest percentage of A&E patients being seen within four hours, East Cheshire, had eight senior managers who received more than £100,000 in total remuneration.
Rachel Charlton, the trust's director of people and culture, received £367,500 in 2023-24.
Paul Bachoo, the acute medical and portfolio lead in NHS Grampian, in Aberdeenshire, was awarded £242,500 that year, making him the highest-paid senior NHS manager in Scotland.
This was despite the trust being ranked 10 out of 14 for A&E waiting times in Scotland.
Under the so-called 'carrot and stick reforms', the Government is looking to temporarily boost the pay offering of leadership vacancies in poorly performing trusts of up to £45,000.
But Mr Streeting warned that failing senior managers could have up to £15,000 docked from their wages if their trusts run into debt or do not deliver improvements.
Ed Argar, the shadow health secretary, said that with the reforms Labour planned to 'hand generous bonuses to NHS managers for simply doing what they are already paid to do as part of their jobs.
'Patients will rightly be shocked, and ask why Labour aren't focusing instead on making sure those who are already very well paid are delivering the results taxpayers have a right to expect.'
He added: 'At a time when families are facing financial pressure due to Labour's reckless jobs tax and uncertainty surrounding winter fuel payments for vulnerable pensioners following Keir Starmer's partial U-turn, diverting public funds into executive bonus schemes, instead of investing that money in front-line care for patients, is simply wrong.'
Sir Keir Starmer announced in March that NHS England, the quango that runs the health service, would be scrapped and merged back into the Government.
The Prime Minister said that it would lead to 'hundreds of millions of pounds' being redirected to the front line and cutting waiting lists.
Last week, doctors were awarded a 4 per cent pay rise and nurses a 3.6 per cent pay rise. But the British Medical Association threatened strike action, saying the rise was not sufficient.
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.'
'Improve care for patients'
An NHS spokesman said: 'NHS managers play a key role in delivering exceptional care and services for patients – and new plans announced last week will strengthen the link between managers' pay and operational performance to improve care for patients.'
A Scottish government spokesperson said: 'The salaries of NHS Scotland chief executives and senior staff are independently assessed and reflect their roles as leaders of large and complex public sector organisations providing vital services.'
The NHS announced on Monday that new cutting-edge radiotherapy machines will be rolled out to save as many as 13,000 appointments from being lost to equipment breakdown.
The machines, funded by a £70 million investment from the Government, will be installed at hospitals across the country from August as part of its plans to improve cancer care.
The technology will be used by 28 hospitals and can cut the rounds of radiotherapy needed, reaching cancers in harder-to-treat areas such as the chest, abdomen and pelvis.
