Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
A recent investigation by the BBC has uncovered significant issues with NHS payroll errors, which have resulted in thousands of NHS employees being sent to debt collection agencies due to alleged overpayments. Freedom of Information data obtained by the BBC reveals that the number of referrals to bailiffs for recovering overpaid wages increased from 1,807 in the 2020-21 period to 2,683 in 2024-25. Many of those affected shared with the BBC how these actions caused them distress, financial strain, and confusion.
One notable case is that of Dr Tom Horne, a 42-year-old father from Nottingham, who first became aware of an overpayment when he received a court summons. His experience with Sherwood Forest NHS Trust, which manages King’s Mill Hospital, was fraught with stress and anger. Dr Horne explained that the trust had initially underpaid him, then issued a large payment which he assumed was correct. It wasn’t until six months after leaving the trust that he discovered the pay had been inaccurate. Letters demanding repayment were sent to an outdated address, despite his attempts to keep his contact details current. As a result, he was faced with bailiffs and court fees adding to his original debt, which he felt compelled to pay quickly to avoid a county court judgment, leaving his family financially strained.
This pattern of confusion and hardship is echoed in the experience of Dr Hamza Usman, who reported ongoing overpayments for three months while working for Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Despite repeatedly informing payroll, the issue was not resolved until after he had relocated to Australia, where his family then received a court threat. Dr Usman expressed frustration with the NHS bureaucracy and emphasized the need for better payroll management.
Across the NHS in the UK, multiple trusts have reported tens of thousands of overpayment instances each year, with a rising trend in referring staff to debt collectors. For example, Leicester University Hospitals Trust referred 226 employees to debt collection last year, the highest among those who responded to the BBC’s FOI request. While some trusts maintain that the use of debt collectors is a last resort, trade unions and NHS representatives stress the importance of treating employees compassionately. NHS England has launched a payroll improvement program to tackle these issues, and officials emphasize the expectation that trusts handle overpayment cases sensitively and reasonably to avoid undue distress for staff members
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.