Remuneration
Remuneration Report
The information contained in this report relates to the remuneration of the senior managers employed by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW). The definition of “Senior Manager” is: ‘those persons in senior positions having authority or responsibility for directing or controlling the major activities of the NHS body. This means those who influence the decisions of the entity as a whole rather than the decisions of individual directorates or departments.’ For DHCW, the senior managers are considered to be the regular attendees of Board meetings, i.e. Members of the Executive Team and the Independent Members.
Existing public sector pay arrangements apply to all staff including members of the Executive Team.
All members of the Executive Team are on pay points and not pay scales.
The performance of members of the Executive Team is assessed against personal objectives and against the overall performance of the SHA. The SHA does not operate a performance related pay scheme.
There have been some payments to former Executives or other former senior managers during the year and these are detailed in the table below.
The totals in some of the following tables may differ from those in the Annual Accounts as they represent staff in post at 31 March 2025 whilst the Annual Accounts (note 9.2) shows the average number of employees during the year.
Transparency of senior remuneration in the devolved Welsh Public Sector – Guide to Tackling Unfair Employment Practices and False Self-Employment
Remuneration and Terms of Service Committee
The pay and terms and conditions of employment for the Executive Team and senior managers have been and will be determined by the Remuneration and Terms of Service Committee, within the framework set by the Welsh Government. The SHA Remuneration Committee members are Independent Members of the Board. The Committee is chaired by the SHA Chair. The Terms of Reference for the Committee are reviewed on an annual basis. Details of the membership of the Remuneration & Terms of Service Committee are captured in Appendix 1.
Salary and Pension Disclosures
Salary and pension disclosure tables (unaudited) – single total figure of remuneration
This Remuneration Report includes a single total figure of remuneration. The amount of pension benefits for the year which contributes to the single total figure is calculated based on guidance provided by the NHS Business Services Authority Pensions Agency.
The amount included in the table for pension benefit is based on the increase in accrued pension adjusted for inflation. This will generally take into account an additional year of service together with any changes in pensionable pay. This is not an amount which has been paid to an individual by the SHA during the year; it is a calculation which uses information from the pension benefit table. These figures can be influenced by many factors e.g. changes in a person’s salary, whether or not they choose to make additional contributions to the pension scheme from their pay, and other valuation factors affecting the pension scheme as a whole.
The salary and pension disclosures reflect the senior managers’ information. In 2024/25 the senior management team consists of the Chief Executive, the Executive Directors and the Independent Members (Non-Executive Directors), the Director of Primary, Community and Mental Health Digital Services, the Director of People and Organisational Development and the Board Secretary.
TABLE 1: SALARY BENEFITS 24-25
(1) Ifan Evans was seconded from Welsh Government for the entire year. A salary increase of £25–30K has been included above which relates to the period 01/04/22 to 31/03/25. The salary declaration excluding the backdated element would have been £135–140K.
(2) Rowan Gardner recommenced salaried employment from 1st May.
(3) Sarah-Jane Taylor left employment on 30th September – full year salary £120–125K.
(4) Samantha Morgan commenced employment on 23rd November – full year salary £105–110K.
(5) Chris Darling received a payment of £0–5K which related to the previous year; the salary declaration excluding this payment would have been £115–120K.
(6) Samantha Hall received a payment of £0–5K which related to the previous year; the salary declaration excluding this payment would remain at £130–135K.
Executive and Senior Management
Non-Executive Directors
TABLE 2: SALARY BENEFITS 23-24
(1) Ifan Evans was seconded from Welsh Government for the entire year
(2)Rowan Gardner left 31st January 2024– Full year equivalent salary is £5K-£10K
*** Pension figures were submitted prior to the very senior manager pay uplift. Although these figures have been excluded, they would not have a material impact on pension benefits
Executive and Senior Management
Non-Executive Directors
Salary and Pension Disclosure – Cash Equivalent Transfer Values
A Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) is the actuarially assessed capital value of the pension scheme benefits accrued by a member at a particular point in time. The benefits valued are the member’s accrued benefits and any contingent spouse’s pension payable from the scheme.
A CETV is a payment made by a pension scheme or arrangement to secure pension benefits in another pension scheme or arrangement when the member leaves a scheme and chooses to transfer the benefits accrued in their former scheme. The pension figures shown relate to the benefits that the individual has accrued as a consequence of their total membership of the pension scheme, not just their service in a senior capacity to which disclosure applies.
The CETV figures and the other pension details include the value of any pension benefits in another scheme or arrangement which the individual has transferred to the NHS pension scheme. They also include any additional pension benefit accrued to the member as a result of their purchasing additional years of pension service in the scheme at their own cost.
CETVs are calculated within the guidelines and framework prescribed by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.
Real Increase in CETV – This reflects the increase in CETV effectively funded by the employer. It takes account of the increase in accrued pension due to inflation, contributions paid by the employee (including the value of any benefits transferred from another scheme or arrangement) and uses common market valuation factors for the start and end of the period.
Pension Benefits 2024-25
Pension Benefits 23-24
Pension figures were submitted prior to the very senior manager pay uplift. Although these figures have been excluded, they would not have a material impact on pension benefits.
Fair Pay Disclosures
Reporting bodies are required to disclose the relationship between the remuneration of the highest-paid director or employee in their organisation and the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile remuneration of the organisation’s workforce.
Remuneration Relationship
The median pay ratio for the relevant financial year is consistent with the pay, reward and progression policies for the entity’s employees taken as a whole.