HOSPITAL staff will be given an extra day off as a 'thank you' gesture for coping with upheavals of the past year in the face of increased pressures.

Around 4,000 staff working for South Bucks NHS Trust, including those at Wycombe Hospital, are set to get the extra paid day.

The gesture, announced at a meeting of the trust on Wednesday, is hailed as a reward for staff who helped meet tough waiting list targets in spite of staffing shortages and a lack of beds.

Staff also had to cope with rising demands from emergency patients and the impact of major service developments, such as transferring services to new buildings at Amersham and Wycombe hospitals following the completion of a £44 million re-development.

Trust chief executive, Roy Darby, said: "The fact that we have achieved all that was asked of us last year despite immense pressure, is down to a tremendous team effort from everyone at all levels of the organisation.

"We have been considering how best to recognise and reward this exceptional achievement. We also wanted to reflect the fact that there has been no let up - the heavy work pressures are still a fact of life day in, day out.

"We wanted to say thank you in a way that is fair to everyone. We believe we have done that by giving staff an extra day's holiday."

Judy Cox, secretary of the South Bucks branch of Unison, said that the proposal had been welcomed.

She added that last year only certain staff would benefit from an extra payment but this year everyone would benefit from the extra day.

"Some staff worked very hard last year and did not get the extra benefit and were a bit upset. However, this year all staff will get the day off and it is good that they have recognition for all their hard work," she said.

The day's holiday is the latest in a series of initiatives by the Trust towards getting and keeping the right staff.

Recent initiatives include three months free accommodation for new recruits, free training courses, flexible contracts and family friendly policies.