The survey is based on a one month sample taken in August 2005 of 51% of NHS trusts that use a specific common payroll system. The average annual basic salary for all directly employed NHS staff as at August 2005 was 22,300 pounds. Average total earnings, including allowances, were 26,300 pounds.The average basic salary for all qualified nurses was 22,700 pounds with average total earnings of 26,400 pounds. The lowest paid staff group surveyed were Ancillary with an average salary of 10,900 pounds. Ancillary workers make up 4.5% of staff sampled.

Of all NHS staff sampled 30,200 (6.5%) have a full-time annualised salary of less than 10,900 pounds. The highest paid staff group are consultants with an average basic salary of 74,500 pounds.

The survey is available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsStatistics/PublicationsStatisticsArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4118423&chk=z3BecP