Proudly supporting the NHS

Tusker has been partnering with NHS Trusts since it first launched salary sacrifice schemes in 2008. Nine years on, and we now work with over a quarter of NHS Trusts and a third of Ambulance Services across the UK.

The Car Benefit Scheme, which enables employees to exchange part of their salary for a brand new car, complete with insurance, road tax, breakdown cover, servicing and tyres, is now available to over 300,000 employees of the NHS in the UK.

To date, we’ve had over 16,000 orders for new cars from the NHS, providing this benefit to employees of all levels in the organisation.

It’s been well received by NHS Trusts who can find it challenging to attract and retain skilled clinicians to specific roles up and down the country.

Rafaella Goodby, Director of Organisational Development for Sandwell West Birmingham Hospital Trust comments: “In the current environment, it’s quite tough to get skilled people to come and work with us, so for these nurses and clinicians, we need to offer something a bit different. That’s where the benefits package comes in.”

Fiona Lee, HR Manager for Newcastle upon Tyne Hospital Trust agrees, she says: “Giving our staff the opportunity to drive a brand new car, is such a lovely feeling and helps us to become an employer of choice.”

Offering benefits can be a huge motivating factor for existing staff members too, with employees’ wellbeing increasing. Rafaella from SWBHT continues: “When our staff are feeling their most productive, committed and engaged, our patients get a better service.”

Greg Masters, Senior Human Resources Manager at London Ambulance Service agrees, “Until the introduction of the Tusker Car Benefit Scheme in 2015, there were hardly any benefits on offer to staff, other than their salary. We had seen that Paramedics were leaving the Service in considerable numbers – going to other NHS Ambulance Trusts who were perceived to offer a better package. This has now been reversed.”

During the last 18 months, London Ambulance Service has seen employee turnover reduce from 14.5%, to almost half, at 8.1%, and this is expected to continue to fall as more employees take up the scheme.

The Car Benefit Scheme has been great for shift workers too, ensuring they are safe and secure in a brand new car, but also ensuring they can get to and from work easily; a big factor for those in rural areas or where public transport isn’t available 24 hours a day.

Greg from London Ambulance Service continues: “With the majority of our staff working shifts that may finish after most public transport had ceased, the offer to staff of a fully maintained, brand new car of their choosing and under a financially advantageous scheme, was considered as a high priority in tackling the staff retention issues we were experiencing.”

Fiona Lee, HR Manager for NUTH agrees: “We’ve experienced increased engagement and retention with the Car Benefit Scheme, which has a 10% take-up rate from our 14,000 staff. It’s a great reflection of the value of this benefit for our employees.”

Paul Gilshan, Tusker’s CEO, comments: “We’re proud to be supporting the NHS with this key benefit which is compliant with the NOE CPC, Health Trust Europe or NPS Frameworks. As the scheme is free to set up and manage, we’re able to save the organisation and the driver money in NI and pension contributions, which means their budgets can go even further.”

If you’re looking at new ways to attract and retain staff for your organisation, request more information on our Car Benefit Scheme and find out how it could help you.