Pay and pensions
The NHS offers a fair and transparent pay structure with competitive and flexible benefits. Our pay and pension benefits are in line with national guidelines and policy.
Eligible colleagues are able to join the NHS Pension Scheme, which provides a pension as well as life insurance and ill-health retirement benefits. Further information about the pension scheme is available on the NHS Business Services Authority website.
For those not eligible to join the NHS Pension Scheme we offer an alternative pension scheme operated by the National Employment Savings Trust (NEST) which the Trust also contributes to.
Annual leave
Colleagues receive a minimum of 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for colleagues who work less than full-time). The amount of annual leave increases after five and 10 years service.
Health and wellbeing
Our wellbeing at work programme offers colleagues the opportunity to take part in sports, therapies, and classes such as exercise and art as well as competitive events like our popular football league and quiz nights.
All colleagues can access Occupational Health services at our three main hospital sites. Counselling and psychological support is also available from our Amica staff counselling service.
Travel to work
At UHL, a wide range of travel options is available to support staff. A Travel Plan has been developed to offer greater choice for those travelling to our sites while reducing the environmental impact of travel associated with the Trust.
Travel alternatives available include:
- Bus – The Hospital Hopper links Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester General Hospital, and Glenfield Hospital with key locations including Beaumont Leys, Hamilton Centre, Leicester Railway Station, and the Park and Ride at St Nicholas Circle. There are 3 Park & Ride services in Leicester, all of which run to or close to the LRI, from here you can transition onto the Hospital Hopper to reach the LGH and GH
- Cycle – UHL has lockable bike parking and shower facilities at all sites. We run a bike salary maxing scheme, offer free cycle training and free cycle maintenance sessions, and there is a cycle repair kit on each site for staff to borrow.
- Train – Leicester train station is approximately one mile (20-minutes) walk to/from the Leicester Royal Infirmary. A Flexi Season Ticket is available, meaning that occasional train users can benefit from the savings that season tickets provide without the requirement to use it every day. For information click here.
You can use the Choose How You Move website to help with your route/journey planning.
We also have a range of rewards schemes, including BetterPoints, which rewards you for travelling sustainably or actively.
Work-life balance
To support colleagues in achieving a better balance between work and other priorities, we provide a range of flexible working patterns and leave arrangements.
Our You Matter policy ensures every person feels supported during events in their life when they may need time away from work. The policy covers leave such as maternity and paternity leave, adoption leave, carers leave and compassionate leave.
Discounts and financial benefits
The Vivup employee benefits platform supports colleagues with a range of benefits to promote mental, financial, and physical wellbeing. The platform provides access to salary exchange schemes such as cars, cycle to work and gym memberships. Colleagues can also save money with discounts from a range of high-street and online shops.
Wagestream provides colleagues with tools to help achieve financial wellbeing. The platform offers colleagues the ability to track their wages in real-time so they can monitor their income more closely as well as early access to a percentage of their pay on the day it is earned. It is a simple, secure and reliable process involving no loans and no high interest.