Hospital staff in Northampton await decision on cancelled salary rise

Employees of St Andrew's Hospital were angered last year when salary boosts promised on the basis of good performance and care for mental health patuents were denied on the basis that the charity had made less money than the previous 12 months.

Now a remuneration committee at St Andrew's - which last week had to defend itself from allegations in a Channel 4 documentary - is to meet on March 31 to decide whether the millions it gets from the NHS will filter down in the shape of permanent wage increases.

A member of staff said: "Last year was a massive kick in the teeth. We work under incredible pressure and were led to believe the extra effort would pay off.

"It wasn't so much the not getting the actual money, it was the expectation they created that stung so much."

Another said: "The amounts the hospital gets in and the numbers discussed in the accounts are pretty eye-watering. Why that wasn't passed on to people at the coal face is a complete mystery."

Hospital bosses approved a one-off £250 bonus and a cost of living wage rise.

However, staff were led to believe they would get performance based increases of up to £1,200 each.

St Andrew's Hospital declined to comment until the committee's decision has been made.