The chief executive of a scandal-hit NHS trust enjoyed a pay rise to £300,000-£305,000 in 2024-5, higher than the Prime Minister's salary, it has been revealed. The disclosure comes after a landmark report exposed maternity failings at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).
Pay rise revealed after report
Anthony May, who joined the Trust in 2022, saw his salary increase from £285,000-£290,000. The pay rise was made public following an inquiry by senior midwife Donna Ockenden, which found 520 mothers and babies suffered potentially avoidable harm or death due to poor care.
The Ockenden Review, the biggest of its kind in NHS history, covered the experiences of families predominantly from 2012 to last year. It “identified long-standing and deeply embedded systemic failures across multiple areas of maternity and neonatal care”.
Political and family reactions
Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Helen Morgan MP said: “At the hands of Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust, hundreds of mothers were put through unimaginably traumatic situations, replacing what should have been one of the most joyful moments of their lives with a trauma they will never recover from.” She added that it was “a smack in the face” that the CEO accepted the pay rise while the review was underway.
The Nottingham Families Group said: “We do not believe there has been sufficient accountability to date, and we would like to remind Anthony May of the commitments and obligations that the public rightly expect from those entrusted with senior leadership within the NHS.” They noted that some parents have been unable to return to work due to physical injuries and psychological harm, while others are full-time carers for disabled children or face financial hardship.
Keep Our NHS Public co-founder Dr Tony O'Sullivan said: “The systemic failures identified by Ockenden cannot be addressed by grotesquely inflated chief executive pay.” He urged Andy Burnham to invest in publicly provided NHS maternity services, fund safe staffing and premises, and retain NHS staff.
Findings of the Ockenden Review
The report found that Trust leaders knew of serious issues in the maternity department for years but failed to act. It noted: “Families were frequently told that lessons would be learned following harm or bereavement, yet similar incidents recurred repeatedly over many years.” There was also evidence that the Trust downgraded harm.
The report said: “Across multiple cases and over many years, opportunities to recognise deterioration, escalate concerns and intervene appropriately were missed.” It also detailed failures to protect the dignity of the deceased, including an early gestation baby disposed as clinical waste, and cases where the wrong baby was released to a funeral director and a mother was not told her baby had been frozen.
Over 2,000 families and more than 800 staff members contributed to the inquiry, with the Trust already paying out millions in compensation and fines after being prosecuted for poor care. Mr May said he was “shocked and upset” by the review's findings published in June.
A spokesperson for NUH said: “The Chief Executive’s pay is determined by the NHS Very Senior Managers pay framework. Any annual pay awards are decided nationally by the Government following the Senior Salaries Review Body’s recommendations.” They added that since Mr May joined, maternity services have improved and there is a “marked change” in leadership, as confirmed by Donna Ockenden. The Trust apologised unreservedly to families and remains committed to implementing the Review’s actions.
