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Department of Health and Social Care: Performance Appraisal

Asked by Neil O'BrienConservativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 22 December 2025UIN 98534

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of departmental staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.

Answered by Karin Smyth

Senior civil servants (SCS) and delegated grades follow different performance management frameworks. SCS’ operate within the framework for SCS performance management prescribed by Cabinet Office. For delegated performance there is a flexible framework that requires departments to reflect a number of core elements in their approach, including differentiating performance, addressing under and poor performance, and addressing diversity and inclusion. The following table shows the top ratings within the different performance management frameworks by grade and proportion, as of April 2025:

Grade

Number rated in the top performance category

Proportion

Executive Officer

30

14%

Higher Executive Officer

55

11%

Senior Executive Officer

80

12%

Grade 7

170

17%

Grade 6

90

23%

SCS

30

14%

Notes:

  1. the numbers rated in the top performance category are rounded to the nearest five; and
  2. the proportion is calculated based on employees who received a performance rating.

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