Low morale and pay are the main concerns of nearly half of workers in hospitals.

A staff survey conducted by Brighton Health Care NHS Trust found 48 per cent of workers thought morale could be better in their ward or department.

Many did not feel the trust had improved as a place to work in the last year and pay levels were an important issue.

Concerns were also raised about the lack of parking spaces for nurses working various shifts.

The trust employs more than 3,300 workers, the majority of whom are nursing staff.

One concern they repeatedly mentioned was the Government bonus scheme for nurses, which Brighton and Hove staff are not eligible for but those working in West Sussex can get.

The bonuses are awarded on a complicated calculation method which identified the West Sussex Health Authority area as an expensive place to live in but not the East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority area.

Trust personnel director Louise Potts said: "The main concerns among staff were pay and morale and the issue of the cost of living supplement came up several times.

"We are planning to write to the Department of Health again, together with the South Downs NHS Trust, giving specific examples of what is happening. Only recently we offered a post to a radiographer who turned us down and went to Worthing instead to benefit from the supplement."

There were a large number of workers who felt the idea of reviewing how wards and departments worked was encouraging and agreed that the trust had learned from complaints made.

A spokesman for Unison said: "There are several issues that need to be looked at which include parking for staff at Royal Sussex County Hospital and these concerns were addressed in the survey.

"Now we hope that the board will take note of people's concerns and act on them."