NHS chiefs paid £35m in bonuses

NHS chiefs have been paid more than £35 million in bonuses since 2007/08, according to official figures.

The Government said £35,993,981 was awarded to chief executives, executive directors and other senior managers at board level in strategic health authorities (SHAs).

The bonus pot in 2010/11 was £9.57m, in 2009/10 £9.65m, in 2008-09 £9.25m, and in 2007/08 £7.53m.

All bonuses were made in recognition of the previous year’s performance.

In a written parliamentary reply to Tory Priti Patel, Health Minister Simon Burns said the bonus pot was “subject to affordability” and it could not exceed 5% of the pay bill for all “very senior managers”.

Mr Burns said: “Where an organisation fails to meet its financial control target, all of its very senior managers will be treated as ‘Category D – not satisfactory’ performers and will not receive an annual uplift or performance related pay.”

He added: “We understand that some very senior managers may have chosen not to receive performance related pay.”