The NHS faces mounting challenges with record numbers of people on waiting lists for hospital operations, struggling to get doctor's appointments and unbearable ambulance wait times.
Despite this, the NHS Trust is advertising an "equality, diversity and inclusion" job with a hefty pay package in its latest diversity initiative.
According to a job advert posted last month, Derbyshire NHS Foundation Trust is looking for a "Head of Equality Diversity and Inclusion" to help "continue to develop a culture of belonging, equity and cultural improvement."
The job boasts a generous salary of £70,000 to £80,000 per year, and the Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) head will be expected to help Kingsway Hospital "champion new ways of thinking" and hear the voices of the local population to "improve equitable, diverse and inclusive experiences for all."
The NHS is struggling with rising wait times for doctor's appointments and hospital procedures
PAKingsway's EDI head will also be tasked with providing "constructive" challenges and speaking "truth to power."
Applicants would be required to work just 37.5 hours per week with the option of "flexible working."
The job advertisement read: "Reporting directly to the Director of People, OD and Inclusion, we are seeking someone who has the ability to effectively network and manage stakeholders as well as provide constructive challenge and speak truth to power.
"You will be a subject matter expert in equity, diversity and inclusion, but as a key member of our senior management team, also have strong leadership and engagement skills."
Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth has described the job advertisement as an "insult to taxpayers" and said the "poisonous diversity industry needs to be rooted out”.
He wrote on X: "Every single diversity role in the public sector should be scrapped."
The Kingsway job is not a one-off with the NHS spending an estimated £40 million a year on dedicated EDI roles, according to NHS Confederation.
These workers are tasked with tackling issues that cause "disparities in health and staff experience improves productivity, efficiency and outcomes."
Nevertheless, this accounts for less than 0.03 per cent of the NHS's annual resource budget for 2023/24.
Rupert Lowe, the Reform MP for Great Yarmouth said the job was an "insult to taxpayers"
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This is less than one per cent of the NHS workforce as a whole equaling to an average of three staff in diversity-related roles in NHS organisations.
Furthermore, civil service diversity and inclusion officers are paid as much as £10,000 more than top trade officials in a comparison of government job listings.
The Department for Business and Trade is seeking a new "head of country" for Poland to be in charge of “developing strategy on trade policy and shaping the overall trading relationship” with Poland.
The listing says the applicant would receive a salary of £32,858 and £34,586 outside of London, rising to between £36,583 and £38,272 if they live in the capital.
In comparison, a typical civil service diversity and inclusion officer in London receives £42,697 per year, as displayed in a job advertisement on the career website Indeed.
Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust commented: "Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and to making ongoing improvements for our colleagues and everyone who uses our services, in line with the requirements of the NHS Constitution."
