Freedom of Information Request – Ref: FOI 148-2025
Thank you for your recent Freedom of Information request. Please find our response below.
You asked:
I am writing to request the following information relating to parental leave under the Freedom of Information Act 2000:
1. The total number of employees who took shared parental leave (SPL) in the last five financial years: 2020/21; 2021/22; 2022/23; 2023/24; and 2024/25. In the same period, the number of employees who took maternity leave and paternity leave.
Our response:
| Headcount | |||||
| Absence Reason | 2020/2021 | 2021/2022 | 2022/2023 | 2023/2024 | 2024/2025 |
| Shared Parental Leave | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Maternity Leave | 205 | 224 | 249 | 235 | 248 |
| Paternity Leave | 16 | 12 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
| Total | 222 | 238 | 254 | 246 | 260 |
You asked:
2) Any internal policy documents or guidance issued to staff regarding shared parental leave entitlement, including any updates in the past five years.
Our response:
Please see the links below:
Maternity Paternity Adoption and Shared Leave Policy
Shared Parental Leave Action Card
Shared Parental Leave Forms Explained
Shared Parental Leave Frequently Asked Questions
You asked:
3. Whether enhanced pay is offered during shared parental leave, and if so, how it compares to maternity and paternity leave packages.
Our response:
Enhanced pay is not offered during shared parental leave, statutory shared parental leave is paid at the lower rate £187.18 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is lower (please note that this is the 2025/26 rate). This is the same as the lower rate of SMP.
Please see below the Comparison of Pay Packages document for an overview of how this compares to maternity & paternity leave packages.
Next steps:
Should you have any queries in relation to our response, please do not hesitate to contact us. If you are unhappy with the response you have received in relation to your request and wish to ask us to review our response, you should write to:
Louise Moss
Head of Legal Services / Associate Director of Corporate Governance
c/o Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Edward Jenner Court
1010 Pioneer Avenue
Gloucester Business Park
Brockworth, GL3 4AW
E-mail: louise.moss@ghc.nhs.uk
If you are not content with the outcome of any review, you may apply directly to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for further advice/guidance. Generally, the ICO will not consider your case unless you have exhausted your enquiries with the Trust which should include considering the use of the Trust’s formal complaints procedure. The ICO can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF.