Hospital boss gets £15K pay rise despite freeze pledge - The Stratford Observer

Hospital boss gets £15K pay rise despite freeze pledge

Stratford Editorial 24th Jan, 2016 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

DESPITE government pledges the most senior NHS managers would have their pay frozen, South Warwickshire Foundation Trust chief executive Glen Burley has seen a wage rise of up to £15,000.

Mr Burley – who runs Warwick Hospital, together with those in Leamington, Stratford and Shipston’s Ellen Badger – saw his pay go up one hospital banding from the £150,000 to £155,000 bracket to £160,000 to £165,000.

SWFT said it could not reveal the chief executive’s exact salary – but it could be up by as much as ten per cent.

The full £15,000 rise would be equivalent to nearly cover a healthcare assistant or hospital receptionist’s pay for one year.




SWFT is in the 40 per cent of trusts which increased executives’ wages by at least £5,000 in the last year.

The highest rise went to a hospital boss in Surrey who received a massive £35,000 rise.


Nearby chief executive of Coventry’s University Hospital, Andrew Hardy, did not see a rise but is paid more than £200,000 annually.

SWFT chairman Russell Hardy told the Observer Mr Burley’s pay rise was to bring him closer in line to nearby trusts.

He said: “In 2014 we reviewed the chief executive’s salary and benchmarked it against other local and national comparators.

“It was found to be significantly below these benchmarks and it was agreed that it would be increased to fall within the range but the increase would be phased over a two year period which is why the banding has increased.

“The organisation has changed form and increased considerably in relation to turnover and headcount during the period of Glen Burley’s time in the trust.

“He has led the organisation through a period of turnaround to the successful organisation it currently is.

“It is important that this is recognised, particularly in relation to the high turnover of chief executives in NHS organisations.”

In 2014 government promised most public sector workers a rise of one per cent but said the most senior managers would see pay frozen in a bid to keep finances stable.

The NHS is facing a financial crisis, with most overspending going on agency nurses, which SWFT are trying to cut the frequent use of.

The trust recently employed an extra 80 nurses in a bid to stop using agency staff, which cost the trust more than £7million last year.

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