Gender pay gap reporting

Introduction 

Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist provider of healthcare for children and young people, dedicated to delivering world-class care while fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. Our values of compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence guide our commitment to fairness and equality across all aspects of our organisation. 

As an employer of over 4,000 employees, Sheffield Children’s is required to publish an annual gender pay gap report in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 (Gender Pay Gap Information) Regulations 2017. This report sets out our gender pay gap position, explores the contributing factors, and outlines our approach to addressing the gap. 

Understanding the gender pay gap 

The gender pay gap measures the difference in average hourly pay between men and women across the organisation. It is distinct from equal pay, which ensures individuals receive the same pay for work of equal value. A gender pay gap may still exist even when equal pay policies are in place due to variations in workforce distribution across different pay bands and roles. 

Workforce gender split 

As of 31 March 2024, our workforce gender split was: 

• Female: 86% 
• Male: 14% 

This provides important context for interpreting our gender pay gap data and quartile distributions. 

Our gender pay gap results 

• Mean gender pay gap: 18.05% (a slight decrease from 18.3% in 2023) 
• Median gender pay gap: 16.95% (a significant decrease from 19.8% in 2023) 
• Mean gender bonus gap: 35.34% (a decrease from 39.44% in 2023) 
• Median gender bonus gap: 0.00% (a significant decrease from 41.60% in 2023) 
• Proportion of men receiving a bonus: 72 men (10.03% of male employees) 
• Proportion of women receiving a bonus: 122 women (3.4% of female employees) 

Mean vs median explained 

Mean pay gap

The mean is the average hourly pay for men and women, calculated by adding up all salaries and dividing by the total number of employees. This figure can be influenced by very high or very low salaries. 

Median pay gap

The median represents the midpoint in earnings when all salaries are arranged from lowest to highest. This is generally considered a more accurate reflection of the overall gender pay gap, as it is less affected by extreme values. 

The median is the most widely used measure in gender pay gap reporting, as it provides a clearer picture of typical earnings and helps to highlight structural pay differences. 

Pay quartiles 

Pay quartiles divide the workforce into four equal groups based on hourly pay, from the lowest to the highest earners. The table below shows the proportion of men and women in each pay quartile: 

Men are overrepresented in the upper quartile (highest-paid jobs) at 24.78% compared to their overall proportion in the Trust (14%), and women are underrepresented compared to their overall proportion in the Trust (86%). This means that a higher proportion of women occupy roles in the lower, lower-middle, and upper-middle pay bands, while a higher proportion of men occupy the highest-paid roles. 

Understanding the findings 

Our analysis suggests that the gender pay gap at Sheffield Children’s is influenced by: 

• Occupational distribution: A higher proportion of men occupy senior roles, particularly in medical and administrative leadership positions. 
• Impact of specific employee groups: The gender pay gap is significantly affected by the ‘Administration and Clerical’ and ‘Estates and Ancillary’ occupational groups, where men are more likely to hold higher-paid roles. 
• Negative gender pay gaps: Three occupational groups — Additional Professional Scientific and Technical, Additional Clinical Services, and Healthcare Scientists — show a negative gender pay gap, where women earn more on average than men. 
• Bonus payments: Bonus payments primarily consist of legacy local clinical excellence awards (LCEAs) and national clinical impact awards. Historically, LCEAs have been more commonly awarded to male consultants, while national clinical impact awards show an increase in women receiving them — but at lower award amounts. 

What we are doing 

Sheffield Children’s is committed to reducing the gender pay gap and ensuring equal opportunities for all employees. To address the identified factors influencing the pay gap, we are implementing the following actions: 

Encouraging career progression

Supporting female employees in leadership development through mentoring, coaching, and training programmes, particularly in areas where men are overrepresented in senior roles. 

Improving recruitment and promotion processes

Strengthening selection procedures to ensure fairness and encourage gender balance across all levels, particularly within ‘Administration and Clerical’ and ‘Estates and Ancillary’ roles. 

Supporting flexible working

Enhancing policies that enable career progression for employees who require flexible working arrangements, ensuring opportunities at senior levels are accessible to all. 

Addressing bonus disparities

Running targeted awareness campaigns to encourage more female medical employees to apply for clinical impact awards, aiming for a more balanced distribution of awards. 

Ongoing data monitoring

Regularly reviewing gender pay data to assess progress and identify further areas for improvement, ensuring our strategies are effective. 

Conclusion 

Sheffield Children’s has made positive progress in reducing the gender pay gap over the past year, with both the median and mean pay gaps decreasing in 2024. The median bonus gap has also been eliminated, reflecting improved fairness in reward structures.  

We will continue to address pay disparities in specific occupational groups and to increase female representation in senior roles. Through targeted actions and continuous monitoring, we are committed to achieving a more equitable workplace for all colleagues as part of our aim to be a brilliant place to work.