THE government's one per cent pay offer to nurses has damaged NHS morale says the chief executive of Royal Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole hospitals.

Debbie Fleming described the deal as disappointing and said staff had expected better, especially after the year they had all been through.

Speaking on the eve of the first anniversary of lockdown tomorrow she spoke frankly about the effects of the past year on everyone at the two sites, the 'jaws of hell' opening during the peak of the pandemic in January and the challenge of dealing with a backlog of 45,000 cases that has built up.

The full interview is published in the Daily Echo in print and online tomorrow.

But on nurses pay, Mrs Fleming, who heads the new University Hospitals Dorset Trust, which came into being in October, said: "I think staff were very disappointed that offer we were expecting higher offer.

"What's a real shame is that they have been through some much. We all know the country is facing a really difficult financial situation, we can all see that, public services are going to face a massive financial challenge, but I have to say, for our staff, at this moment, they can only see that pay offer. They can only feel a big disappointment.

"Our hope is that it is looked at again very carefully."

She added: "I think it does damage morale because what you are paid has a meaning. NHS staff have been disappointed many times in the past and most of us have learned to take our value from our patients, our public and our colleagues and I would hope my staff would do that and feel loved and cared for.

"We are all very grateful to the public for the support and the clapping and the gifts. I think on a day to day to basis that's what our staff take their value from."

She added: "They deserve masses."

Mrs Fleming said many staff had been left exhausted and traumatised by the events of the last year.

All staff at both hospitals are able to take an extra day in paid leave in the coming year as a thank you.