Tag: public health

574 senior NHS managers earn more than the prime minister

  • NHS Rich List finds that 574 senior NHS managers had higher salaries than the prime minister, an increase of 12 per cent in a single year.
     
  • 1,758 senior managers received more than £100,000 in total remuneration in 2024-25. This is an increase of 3.8 per cent from 2023-24.
     
  • The number of NHS senior managers receiving at least £300,000 in total remuneration more than doubled to 292 people. An increase of 134 per cent in a single year. 
     
  • TaxPayers’ Alliance research presents senior salaries alongside A&E waiting times, revealing failing hospital bosses taking pay rises in defiance of Labour pledge to link pay and performance.

Following the appointment of Yvette Cooper as the new health secretary, the TaxPayers’ Alliance (TPA) today reveals there were 574 senior managers in the NHS on a higher salary than the prime minister last year.

The NHS Rich List shows that across the 220 NHS Trusts, 1,758 senior managers received over £100,000 in total remuneration, with the number of NHS senior managers receiving at least £300,000 in total remuneration more than doubling to 292. 

While few would disagree with paying doctors and nurses properly, the NHS Rich List shows that managers in hospitals with poor A&E performance and long waiting times from referral to treatment (RTT) are still picking up handsome remuneration packages at taxpayers’ expense.

Total remuneration includes salary, expenses, benefits, bonuses and pension contributions. Looking at salaries alone, 1,603 managers had salary entitlements of at least £100,000, including 319 receiving between £200,000 and £300,000, and 17 who received over £300,000. 

After the previous health secretary Wes Streeting announced that NHS leaders would face a new carrot and stick performance drive, the TPA is calling on the new health secretary Yvette Cooper to follow through with these plans and properly link performance to pay inside the NHS.

The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals had the senior manager with the highest salary in 2024-25, with chief executive, J Mackey, receiving £377,500, including up to £94,000 moonlighting in other NHS jobs. The trust was ranked 41 out of 140 in England for A&E waiting times.

The worst performing trust for A&E waiting times was East Cheshire for the second consecutive year. The chief executive officer, G J Murphy, had a total remuneration package of £377,500 in 2024-25, rising from £172,500 in 2023-24 despite the persistent poor A&E waiting times. The trust had 7 senior managers who received over £100,000 in total remuneration overall.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had the worst referral to treatment waiting time of 149 trusts, ranking last for the second consecutive year. The chief medical director, Catherine Walsh, had total remuneration of £322,500 in 2024-25.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL RESEARCH

Key findings:

  • In 2024-25, there were 1,758 senior managers receiving £100,000 or more in total remuneration (comprising salary, expenses, benefits, bonuses and pension benefits) across 220 NHS trusts, an increase of 3.8 per cent from 2023-24.
  • Of these, 1,603 had a salary of £100,000 or more, comprising:
    • 17 who had salaries over £300,000
    • 319 who had salaries between £200,000 and £300,000
    • 1,267 who had salaries between £100,000 and £200,000
    • 574 senior managers had a salary greater than the prime minister’s £172,153 salary entitlement in 2024-25, up from 512 in 2023-24, an increase of 12 per cent. 
  • 574 senior managers had a salary greater than the prime minister’s £172,153 salary entitlement in 2024-25, up from 512 in 2023-24, an increase of 12 per cent.
  • The number of NHS senior managers receiving at least £300,000 in total remuneration increased by 134 per cent in a single year, rising from 125 in 2023-24 to 292 in 2024-25.

Highest salary

  • The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals had the senior manager with the highest salary in 2024-25, with chief executive, J Mackey, receiving £377,500 (£382,500 total remuneration). The trust was ranked 41 out of 140 in England for A&E waiting time.
  • This was followed by West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals, where chief medical officer, M Van Der Watt, received £372,500 in 2024-25 (£372,500 total remuneration). 
  • Next was Guy’s and St Thomas’, where chief executive, I Abbs, received a salary of £337,500 in 2024-25 (£347,500 total remuneration).

Highest salary in Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish NHS organisations

  • Crawford McGuffie, medical director at NHS Ayrshire and Arran, was the senior manager with the highest salary in Scotland in 2024-25, at £247,500. The trust was ranked 11 of 14 for A&E waiting times in Scotland.
  • C Shillabeer, chief executive of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, had the highest salary of any senior manager in Wales in 2024-25 at £262,500. The health board was ranked 6 of 7 for RTT waiting time and 7 of 7 for A&E waiting time in Wales.
  • South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust had the senior manager with the highest salary in Northern Ireland in 2024-25, with medical director, C Martyn, receiving £242,500.

Notable individuals

  • Nottingham University Hospitals was ranked 133 of 149 for RTT waiting times and 131 of 140 for A&E waiting times in England. Their chief nurse, T Pilcher, had total remuneration of £712,500 in 2024-25.
  • Chesterfield Royal Hospital was ranked 136 of 149 for RTT waiting times and 124 of 140 for A&E waiting times in England. Their medical director, Kevin Sargen, had a total remuneration of £542,500 in 2024-25.
  • University Hospitals Sussex was ranked 144 of 149 for RTT waiting times and 122 of 140 for A&E waiting times in England. Their chief executive, George Findley, received £492,500 in total remuneration in 2024-25, including £32,500 in performance pay.
  • Cardiff and Vale University Health Board was ranked last (7 of 7) for RTT waiting times and 5 of 7 for A&E waiting times in Wales. Executive director of therapies and health science, Emma Cooke, received £367,500 in total remuneration in 2024-25.
  • NHS Lanarkshire ranked 14 of 14 for A&E waiting times in Scotland. Their medical director, C Deighan, received £462,500 in total remuneration in 2024-25.

Best and worst performing trusts by A&E waiting time (England)

  • Humber Teaching had the best A&E waiting time of 140 trusts. Six senior managers received over £100,000 in remuneration. The senior manager with the highest total remuneration in the trust was medical director, Kwame Opoku-Fofie, at £272,500 in 2024-25.
  • East Cheshire remained the worst performing trust for A&E waiting times for the second consecutive year, ranking last in both 2023-24 and 2024-25. The chief executive officer, G J Murphy, had total remuneration of £377,500 in 2024-25, rising from £172,500 in 2023-24 despite the persistent poor A&E waiting times.

Best and worst performing trusts by RTT waiting time (England)

  • Mersey Care had the best RTT waiting time of 149 trusts. The senior manager with the highest total remuneration in the trust was chief nurse and director of infection, prevention and control, Jenny Hurst, at £297,500 in 2024-25.
  • Cambridgeshire and Peterborough had the worst RTT waiting time of 149 trusts, ranking last for the second consecutive year. The chief medical director, Catherine Walsh, had total remuneration of £322,500 in 2024-25.

Highest salary by function 

  • Digital: Neil Darvill, chief digital information officer shared between North Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, had the highest salary within this function at £195,000 in 2024-25.
  • HR: Ajit Abraham, group director of inclusion and equity at Barts Health, had the highest salary within this function at £232,500 in 2024-25.
  • Strategy: Shane Gordon, director of strategy, research and innovation at East Suffolk and North Essex, had the highest salary within this function at £247,500 in 2024-25.
  • Finance: Roy Clarke, chief financial officer at King’s College Hospital, had the highest salary within this function at £267,500 in 2024-25.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL RESEARCH

Responding to the findings, Rt. Hon Stuart Andrew MP, Shadow Health Secretary, said: “Running the NHS is a demanding job and managers should be rewarded for delivering results. But paying managers large bonuses while patients receive poor care is not good value for taxpayers or fair on NHS frontline staff.

“Labour is handing out bonuses while patients bear the brunt of long waits and poor performance. Funding should be focused on frontline services and better patient care, not bigger payouts for managers.

“The Conservatives know the NHS needs serious reform. Every pound should deliver better care for patients and better value for taxpayers.” 

Anne Strickland, researcher at the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Taxpayers will be appalled that NHS executive pay is soaring while patients are still left waiting for care. 

“Andy Burnham’s new government has an early opportunity to show taxpayers that it will get a grip on this culture of rewarding failure. 

“Ministers must keep their promise to link performance to pay, so that failing NHS bosses are held accountable and money goes into patients’ care not managers’ pockets. ”

NHS Lothian: MenB vaccinations

DROP-IN SESSIONS NOW AVAILABLE

Drop-in sessions are now available.

Find clinic locations and timings:

https://nhslothian.scot/vaccinations/meningococcal-b-menb/

Edinburgh

The Gyle

Gyle Avenue, South Gyle Broadway, Edinburgh, EH12 9JY

Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, from 08:30 – 17:00.

No appointment necessary. This clinic is open for drop-in visits.

Ocean Terminal

Upper Level, Ocean Terminal Shopping Centre, Ocean Drive, Edinburgh, EH6 6JJ

Opening Hours: Sunday & Monday, from 08:30 – 17:00.

No appointment necessary. This clinic is open for drop-in visits.

Waverley Mall

Upper Level, Waverley Market Shopping Centre, 3/48 Waverley Bridge, EH1 1BQ

Opening Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday, from 08:30 – 17:00.

No appointment necessary. This clinic is open for drop-in visits.

To find out if you, or someone you know, is eligible for the free vaccine, visit:

 http://nhsinform.scot/menb-youngpeople   

#MenBVaccine

Call for review of bowel cancer screening age

With bowel cancer cases rising among under 50’s in Scotland, extending bowel cancer screening could save more lives.

Public Health Minister @MareeToddMSP has asked the UK National Screening Committee to consider reviewing the recommended age for bowel cancer screening.

NHS 24: Be Aware of Spiking

🍻 Heading out this weekend? Whether you’re at a festival, beer garden, night out or house party, be aware of the signs of spiking.

Spiking is when someone gives another person alcohol or drugs without their knowledge or consent. It can happen anywhere and to anyone.

Signs can come on suddenly and may include dizziness, confusion, unusual drowsiness, memory loss, difficulty speaking or moving, or being sick.

If you think you or someone else has been spiked:

📞 Call NHS 24 on 111 for advice

🚨 Call 999 if it’s a life-threatening emergency

👮 Report suspected spiking to Police Scotland on 101

Search ‘Safer Scot spiking’ for more advice from the experts.

Action on vapes

Consultation on packaging, appearance and display of tobacco and vaping products

Views are being sought on proposals aimed at restricting the appearance of tobacco, vaping and nicotine products and how they are packaged and displayed in shops to make them less enticing to children and young people. 

The consultation fulfils a 100-day Scottish Government commitment and builds on government action to reduce preventable deaths from smoking and introduce tougher measures on vaping, including the introduction of a ban on the sale of single-use vapes last year.

Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “Scotland has been a world-leader on a range of tobacco control measures, and while there has been a steady reduction in smoking rates, we know it still damages lives and kills more than 7,000 people a year in Scotland.

“The use of vapes has increased in recent years, particularly among children and young people – with almost one in five children saying they have tried vaping.

“We know that colourful packaging and displays are used as an enticement to children and young people, which is why we are taking action and consulting on options to address this issue.

“We urge everyone to have their say on how these products are marketed and sold in the future to help protect children and young people and reduce preventable harm in Scotland.”

Chief Medical Officer Gregor Smith said: “This is a vital step to protect public health and support Scotland’s aim of a tobacco-free generation by 2034. Scotland’s ‘Tobacco and Vaping Framework and Population Health Framework’ place a strong emphasis on prevention and reducing the use of health-harming products, including tobacco and nicotine.

“Action on how these products are promoted is central to that aim, and the Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 provides a strengthened legislative basis for action. This work will help reduce health harms, address health inequalities, and respond proportionately to emerging risks from vaping.”

Public Health Scotland Consultant in Public Health, Dr Garth Reid said: “Public Health Scotland welcomes the Four Nations consultation on the packaging, appearance and display of tobacco and vaping products.

“We strongly support the ambition to reduce the appeal, accessibility and normalisation of products that cause significant harm to population health.

“The proposals represent a timely and evidence‑informed extension of existing tobacco control measures, and they align with Scotland’s goal of achieving a tobacco‑free generation.”

The consultation will run from 10 July 2026 for 12 weeks.

Delivering GP walk-in services

Five more centres to open in first 100 days of new government

A new GP walk-in service will open in the centre of Aberdeen later this month, Health Secretary Angela Constance has announced.

Based within Aberdeen Health Village on Frederick Street, the new clinic will open on 23 June for any member of the public to attend, with no appointment necessary.

The service will be open on a phased basis initially, run by GPs, Advanced Nurse Practitioners and nurses, offering same day care and treatment for minor illnesses.

The Aberdeen city centre site will be the seventh GP walk-in service across Scotland to open since the start of the year, and the first of the five centres the Scottish Government has committed to open in its first 100 days.

Walk-in centres have opened in Edinburgh, Dundee, Western Isles, Stranraer, Lerwick and Hawick in just over four months and speaking on a visit to the site of the Aberdeen GP walk-in service, Health Secretary Angela Constance said: “The new walk-in centre in the heart of Aberdeen city centre will be an asset to local health services in the area and plans are progressing at pace to welcome patients from the 23rd June. 

“We know that accessing GP services on the day, when you need urgent care, can be a source of frustration. That’s why we have opened GP-led walk-in services across the country to support with on the day care to address the ‘8am rush’ and relieve pressure on GP surgeries – freeing up capacity to focus on complex and long-term care.

“We value the key role and expertise that GPs have to play in people’s care. We are underpinning that by increasing investment in general practice by £531 million over three years to significantly boost recruitment from this year, helping to deliver the capacity needed to improve services for patients.”

Emma King, Primary Care Lead for Aberdeen City Health & Social Care Partnership, said: “We are pleased to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to the Aberdeen GP walk-in centre as we make the final preparations for opening to the public later this month.

2We are looking forward to getting to work and testing this new approach to improving access to same-day care.”

16 GP walk-in services were planned initially, backed by £36 million of investment. Five of these, including the one in Aberdeen, are due to open within the first 100 days of this government.

A process to identify 14 more sites, to a total of 30, is currently underway.

Initial 16 planned GP walk-in sites

Phase One

  • Wester Hailes, Edinburgh – NHS Lothian
  • Lochee GP Practice, Dundee – NHS Tayside
  • Benbecula – NHS Western Isles
  • Stranraer – NHS Dumfries and Galloway
  • Lerwick – NHS Shetland
  • Hawick – NHS Borders
  • Invergordon – NHS Highland
  • Dunoon – NHS Highland
  • Aberdeen – NHS Grampian
  • Cardonald, Glasgow – NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
  • Moray – NHS Grampian
  • Aberdeenshire – NHS Grampian
  • Sauchie, Alloa – NHS Forth Valley

Phase Two

  • East Ayrshire, NHS Ayrshire and Arran
  • Clydesdale, NHS Lanarkshire
  • Central Fife, NHS Fife

Locations for an additional 14 additional GP walk-in sites, taking the total number of planned services to 30, will be announced within the first 100 days of the new Scottish Government.

Scotland’s NHS is ‘turning a corner’

Health Secretary welcomes sustained rise in activity

New figures show the number of operations carried out in the 12 months to April 2026 increased by 7.3% compared to the same period the year before.

New statistics from Public Health Scotland show a total of 281,115 operations were performed during the last 12 months, while 770 operations were carried out per day – an increase from 718 for year ending April 2025.

The increase in activity comes as latest waiting times statistics show new outpatient waits of over a year have decreased for 11 consecutive months and inpatient and daycase waits over a year reducing for 15 months in a row.

This is in addition to new figures which show Scottish Government pledges on extra appointments have been surpassed – the promise to provide 150,000 additional appointments last year has been exceeded, with latest data showing 168,177 additional appointments and procedures were carried out in the financial year up to March 2026 compared to same period in the previous year.

In the first 9 months of 2025-26, 34,089 procedures were carried out in National Treatment Centres, surpassing the commitment to see planned activity increasing to over 30,000.

Health Secretary Angela Constance said: “I am pleased to see sustained and continued improvement in the number of operations carried out. Coupled with our continued progress to reduce waiting times, these latest figures show our plan is delivering for Scotland.

“I thank all NHS staff for their continued hard work and dedication – teams all across the country are driving this progress.

“We have delivered on our pledge to provide 150,000 additional appointments last year and our NTCs activity has surpassed our target already this year – our NHS is turning a corner and we are determined to build on this progress and ensure people are receiving the treatment they need as soon as possible.”

CAMHS waiting times standard sustained

Nine in 10 children and young people begin mental health treatment within 18 weeks of referral

The latest figures, published today, show that 91.2% of children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) began treatment within 18 weeks — meeting the national standard for a sustained period.

One in two children referred to CAMHS is now starting treatment within six weeks — compared to one in two starting within 12 weeks before the pandemic.

Waits of over 18 weeks are at their lowest level since 2013, down nearly 20% in the past year.

The longest waits have fallen to their lowest level since 2015, with 12 out of 14 Boards now reporting zero patients waiting over a year.

Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “These figures reflect the dedication and hard work of CAMHS teams right across Scotland, and I am truly pleased to see these sustained and significant improvements in waiting times.

“We have increased CAMHS staffing by 51.6% over the last decade, and exceeded our commitment to fund 320 additional posts by 2026 — increasing capacity for cases by over 10,000. This investment is making a real difference to children and young people across the country.

“While there is still more to do, and we will not be complacent, today’s figures are genuinely encouraging. Long waits remain unacceptable and we will continue to support every Board to meet the standard.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition responded:“While we welcome the fact that one in two children referred to CAMHS is now starting treatment within six weeks — compared to one in two starting within 12 weeks before the pandemic, this is still in itself too long and there is much work to do to tackle the current mental health emergency.

“We still have just under 300 children and young people who have been waiting for more than nine months for treatment and 23 more than a year.

“Many children and young people are still waiting years for help, which worsens their mental health and is a sure-fire way to add to their pain.

“What we need is not just parity of esteem between mental health and physical health, it’s parity of action and parity of spend.

“Each one of these statistics is an individual, and we would urge the new Scottish Government to ensure the adequate resourcing of mental health services for our children and young people so that they can get the care and support they need, without lengthy waits.”

Community Pop-Up Vaccination Clinic at Royston Wardieburn

TUESDAY 26th MAY 10am – 1pm & 1.30 – 4pm

Depending on your age, health conditions, or other factors, you could be eligible for a Covid Spring Booster Vaccine.

Our team will be at Royston Wardieburn Community Centre, 11 Pilton Drive North, Edinburgh, EH5 1NF on the 26th May from 10am till 1pm and 1.40pm till 4pm.

For eligibility and details about other pop-up clinics, please click the link below or call the Vaccination Enquiries Helpline: 0300 790 6296. 

https://www.nhslothian.scot/vaccinations/ 

UKHSA update on the hantavirus cruise ship outbreak

Latest information on cases including British nationals

Statement from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC), and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO):

The UK government continues to work with international authorities in preparing for the arrival of British nationals to the UK from the MV Hondius cruise ship where an outbreak of Hantavirus was confirmed by the World Health Organization.

Two British nationals have confirmed hantavirus, with an additional suspected case of a British national on Tristan da Cunha. None of the British citizens onboard are currently reporting symptoms but they are being closely monitored.

The ship is expected to dock in Tenerife on Sunday, according to the latest updates from the Spanish Health Ministry. UK government staff will be on the ground ready to support the British nationals disembarking. British Passengers and ship crew not displaying any symptoms of hantavirus will be escorted by UK Government staff to an airport and given free passage back to the UK.

FCDO and UKHSA teams will be on the ground to support these arrangements, bolstered by a Rapid Deployment Team sent from the UK. The FCDO is chartering a dedicated repatriation flight for British ship passengers and crew only. This flight will be free of charge.

UKHSA is working with partners to ensure the flight operates under strict infection control measures. Public health and infectious disease specialists from UKHSA and the NHS will be on board to monitor British Nationals whilst on the flight, to ensure that preventative measures are in place and to provide any care in the unlikely event that any passengers become unwell on the flight.

All British passengers and crew on board the MV Hondius will be asked to isolate for 45 days upon returning to the UK and UKHSA will closely monitor these individuals, with testing as required.

Follow up is already underway for individuals who may have been in contact with cases and have since returned to the UK or are in in UK Overseas Territories. The UK government will ensure those self-isolating are given appropriate support.

UKHSA is aware of seven British Nationals who disembarked the ship at St Helena on 24 April.

Two of those people have returned to the UK independently and are isolating at home in the UK. Neither of these individuals is currently reporting symptoms. They are receiving advice and support from UKHSA and have been advised to self-isolate.

Four of these individuals remain in St Helena. A seventh individual has been traced outside of the UK.

The FCDO is in direct contact with the ship and British nationals on board and has stood up consular teams across multiple countries to support British nationals.

UK government is working very closely with international partners in response to this incident, including the cruise ship operator and the governments of UK overseas territories which were visited by the ship.

UK government teams are working at pace to get medical support to all affected Overseas Territories. The Ministry of Defence has worked with UKHSA to provide vital diagnostic supplies, including PCR tests, which were delivered to Ascension Island via a military plane on 7 May.

The risk to the general public remains very low.

Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Officer at UKHSA, said: “This is an evolving situation, and we are working closely with partners to support British Nationals on board the MV Hondius.

“The risk to the general population remains very low and the public can be reassured that established infection control measures will be put in place at every step of the journey to ensure the safe repatriation of British passengers on board.”

Further information on the repatriation of British nationals will be provided in due course.