With the relentless upheaval in the NHS, voluntary redundancy may seem like a chance to get out while the going’s good. But not all schemes offer a good deal and government rules and tax policy can eat into your settlement.

As joint chair of the NHS Staff Council, Oonagh Monkhouse negotiates with unions on behalf of hundreds of NHS employers. But she’s also a working manager as director of workforce at the Royal Papworth, the UK’s leading heart and lung hospital. She talks to Matt Ross about boosting staff morale, building management capacity and why it’s important to try walking in someone else’s shoes.