Employee benefits
Your package with us includes a lot more than just your pay. Listed are a few of the additional benefits that are available to you as an employee.
NHS Pensions Scheme
On joining the NHS, all employees aged between 16 and 75 can sign up to the NHS Pension Scheme. The final salary scheme offers an excellent package including life assurance and early retirement options.
For more information, visit the NHS Pensions website.
Flexible working options
Our staff are encouraged to maintain a good work-life balance, which we support by providing a range of flexible working patterns subject to the needs of the service.
Childcare
We have a workplace nursery for Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust employees situated near to the main site.
The nursery operates a waiting list and sessions are allocated to those on the waiting list subject to availability.
Please contact the nursery directly for enquires about available sessions and information on how to join the waiting list.
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
Rainbow Day Nursery
Torbay Hospital Annexe
Old Newton Road
Torquay
TQ2 7BA
Email: Rainbow Day Nursery
Generous holiday entitlement
Annual leave entitlement starts at 27 days a year (for full time workers) plus bank/public holidays, and increases to 29 days after five years’ service and 33 days after 10 years’ service. Part-time members of staff receive leave calculated on a pro-rata basis, based on their hours of work.
Staff benefits scheme
Staff have access to our employee salary sacrifice scheme, which allows staff to make savings in a range of areas. Payments are made before tax is deducted from your salary, meaning you can make savings of around 20 to 40%. Currently, the scheme includes:
- Bikes
- Car leasing
- Phones / Computer
Discounts
Staff working within the NHS will receive discounts at high street and online retails, and discounts on other services, via Health Service Discounts. The Trust has also negotiated a range of discounts with local businesses to provide staff with discounts and offers, including money off in local restaurants, hair salons and fitness centres.
Staff restaurant (Torbay Hospital)
The Bayview Restaurant and Bistro@Bayview provides a very full and varied menu, of both hot and cold food with subsidised prices for staff.
Training
The Trust believes that investing in staff training and encouraging personal development allows us to achieve the high level of care we deliver for patients.
We are committed to supporting the education of staff in all professions and at all levels across the Trust, through in-house classroom based training and via e-learning.
We provide in-house training around clinical skills and support staff who register for vocational diplomas. We also work with external organisations to provide staff with access to continuing professional development courses and management and leadership competencies.
Employee support
Staff have access to a 24-hour helpline, and can access counselling services, legal advice, support on family and childcare issues and much more. We also have an occupational health department offering support to staff in a range of ways, and robust policies and procedures in place to support our workforce.
Wellbeing@work
The Trust recognises that the health and wellbeing of our staff is a key driver for improvement to: quality, innovation, productivity and prevention.
The Staff Welfare and Wellbeing Forum has been developed to provide direction and oversight for the health and wellbeing activities across the health community, leading by example and ensuring that the Trust can evidence its progress by providing reports to the Workforce Committee.
Key Staff Welfare and Wellbeing Workstream areas include:
- Employee Appreciation and Recognition
- Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace
- Physical Health and Wellbeing in the Workplace
- Development of a Wellbeing@Work Forum
Staff recognition schemes
The Trust operates staff recognition schemes to reward staff when they continually give exceptional service to the Trust.
Pay and conditions
The national pay system for the NHS – Agenda for Change (AfC) – is for all directly employed staff except doctors and the most senior managers.
The pay system offers real benefits including:
- A standard working week of 37.5 hours
- Harmonised holiday entitlement of 27 days per year, plus 8 general and public holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service
- Pay enhancements to reward out of hours, shift and overtime working
- Better salary and career progression based on the application of knowledge and skills
- An annual personal development review to support your career aspirations
Other benefits of working in the NHS include training, occupational health services, automatic membership of the NHS Pension Scheme (unless you choose to opt out) and study leave for sponsored course.