THE first pay deal in the country for hospital staff working over the millennium has been struck.

Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust has agreed to pay staff working on the night of the millennium an extra £150.

The deal, which was agreed with the the trust's joint staff council, will cost £100,000.

At the Unison conference in Brighton this week, union members voted for a ballot on possible strike action if a national deal was not made.

But the Worthing hospital is the first in the country to agree a deal.

Although trust chief executive Alan Randall admits the payment is "not over-generous," he says it is fair.

He says the trust could never afford to pay the larger sums being offered to bar staff and taxi drivers because it was not a commercial operation and would not make a profit out the New Year celebrations.

He added: "I've got quite strong views on this. The millennium is the occasion of a lifetime.

"It's an extraordinary event which is quite different from the other events where NHS staff are expected to provide a service.

"We should not take advantage of the goodwill we get from our staff and if they have to see the millennium in at work, we should pay them for it."

He said the trust would maintain its normal New Year's Eve staffing levels but extra staff would be expected to be on call and they would be paid £50, unless they were brought in, in which case they would get the full payment.

Gordon Holloway, vice-chairman of the joint staff council, said: "We are pleased the trust has felt able to make this offer.

"It represents recognition of the hard work and dedication of people working in the NHS."

But Unison representative Nigel Westlake said £150 is not enough, adding: "I don't think many will be happy with that offer."

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