There are many benefits available to our staff. These include cost saving discounts, a brilliant pension and staff recognition events.

Salary top-up

Working for West Herts, you will be eligible for an extra 5% on top of your basic salary (subject to a minimum payment of £1,192 and a maximum payment of £2,011).

Higher Cost Area Supplements (HCAS), also referred to as London Weighting, is an additional payment made to employees who work in London and the surrounding areas.

Discounts

  • NHS employees can get discounts from a vast range of companies, including Apple, Domino's, Boohoo, Argos, EE, SuperDry, JD Sports, Cineworld and Samsung via Blue Light Card, Healthcare Discounts and NHS England.
  • Subsidised meals for staff in our on site restaurant at Watford.
  • Free health checks, massages, and fitness classes.
  • Discounted gym memberships including Anytime Fitness and Nuffield Health.
  • Save money on bikes and safety accessories through our Cycle to Work scheme.
  • Free eye tests for full time staff.

Childcare

Our staff can get discounted childcare at our on-site Busy Bees nurseries at Watford General and St Albans City hospitals.

Both nurseries are rated as 'Outstanding providers' by Ofsted.

Open 7am-7pm, Monday to Friday.

NHS pension

The NHS pension available to all staff is one of the UK’s best pension schemes, offering an excellent package of benefits.

Annual leave

Staff are entitled to 27 days annual leave each year. This rises to 29 days after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years’ service (excludes bank holidays).

If you already have NHS service, we will honour this in terms of your annual leave entitlement.

Staff recognition

We love recognising and celebrating our brilliant staff!

We hold monthly staff awards, quarterly divisional awards, our amazing Stars of Herts annual awards evening, as well as our Long Service awards!

Watch our highlights video from our previous Stars of Herts evening which was held at Watford Palace Theatre!

Maternity, paternity and shared parental leave

Female staff with at least one year's service can benefit from up to a year’s leave, eight weeks of which are full pay, then 18 weeks at half pay plus Statutory Maternity Pay.

We also provide two weeks' paternity leave for partners at full pay, for those with at least one year's service, as well as options for sharing leave between partners.