Some Cornwall NHS staff to receive cash bonus

Some NHS workers in Cornwall will get a £500 cash bonus as a thank you for working through the pandemic.

Staff working for Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust will receive the payment and an additional day of leave.

However, those employed at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust will not receive a bonus.

Health bosses said it would cost about £5m and was "not affordable" within its budget.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental and physical health services to people across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said it was important staff "know their hard work and dedication is recognised".

It said: "In recognition of their work, and rising living costs, the board of directors has offered a one-off recognition payment and an additional day's leave.

"Supporting the health and wellbeing of our staff will help us to retain and recruit staff, so we can continue to deliver care across Cornwall and Isles of Scilly."

Alison Thorne-Henderson, interim director of people and organisation development at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said its staff had worked "extraordinarily hard" throughout the pandemic and it would give employees an extra day of leave.

She said: "The option of a one-off 'bonus' for all staff, which could cost our hospitals around £5m, is something that is not affordable within our budget, although over 2,000 staff have benefited from incentive payments given where they have given their time to do extra shifts through our in-house bank over the past year."

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