NHS body spends £14,600 on staff motivation

NHS Berkshire West was the biggest spender on staff motivation and entertainment out of 84 Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) responding to an investigation by pharmacists’ magazine C+D, racking up a bill of £14,622.

The data shared with Channel 4 News shows that in total, PCTs spent more than £100,000 on staff events in the last financial year, despite the pressure on the NHS to make efficiency savings of £20bn.

However there were striking differences from area to area. Half of the PCTS which responded to the investigation spent nothing at all on these kinds of events.

A spokesman for one of these trusts, NHS Stockport, said: “Stockport PCT stopped all spend on non-essential training and ‘entertaining’ last year.”

Many appear to be coping just fine without spending thousands of pounds on congratulatory backslapping events. Matthew Sinclair, Taxpayers’ Alliance

Matthew Elliott, Chief Executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, said taxpayers expected the health budget to be spent on patient care, not award ceremonies and away days.

“The stark contrast between different PCTs is revealing, many appear to cope just fine without spending thousands of pounds on congratulatory backslapping events,” he said.

“Maintaining staff morale doesn’t have to cost the earth, team building can easily take place in the office without the need to spend a fortune on transport and venue hire.”

Better performance

However the top-spending trusts defended their staff motivation tactics, saying that they led to better performance.

In a statement, NHS Berkshire said: “NHS Berkshire West was able to encourage innovation by holding an annual staff recognition event to reward outstanding contribution to patient care.

The event contributed to the high performance of the organisation. NHS Berkshire

“This was part of a whole range of staff activities and considered an extremely effective event which positively encouraged further improvements in patient care. The event contributed to the high performance of the organisation, particularly within the provider arm for community health that has since transferred to other providers.”

NHS Berkshire East, which spent £13,000 on four strategic meetings at a golf and conference centre, said the meetings helped staff “share plans, priorities and challenges across the organisation”.

Both trusts said there were no plans to spend any money on similar events this financial year.

Other PCTs reported spending money on a variety of events such as retirement parties and motivational barbeques.

NHS North Somerset said its £8,000 spend was not on “entertainment” but instead on “specific away days”.

A spokesman added: “This small investment in these very specific activities has proved extremely valuable as North Somerset is well placed to deliver against the challenging agenda ahead.”