Amid fears that the cost-of-living crisis is hitting NHS staff hard, hospital execs in Newcastle have pledged to do "everything possible" to support workers.
Dame Jackie Daniel, chief exec of the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, opened a board meeting this week by discussing the "broader financial pressures" hitting staff.
She said the trust's HR director Dee Fawcett had been leading a serious of working groups with staff looking at what support was needed, and added: "We are all seeing the impact on staff of the cost-of-living rises. We will continue to look at everything we can possibly do to support our staff. And the impact of strong leadership has never been greater."
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In a report presented to the board, she added: "No-one is unaffected by the current economic situation, and as a trust we are particularly conscious of the impact that high inflation is having on patients and staff.
"We have taken action to provide further support to staff where we can, temporarily increasing mileage rates to recognise the current high cost of petrol and providing a discount on public transport passes. These measures sit alongside our existing offers of financial wellbeing guidance and support."
Ms Fawcett also paid tribute to staff who, despite rising pressures and "complicated lives" kept coming to work and were dedicated to looking after patients. She said: "We have some staff who are really suffering and really struggling as a result of increasing prices and the cost of living increases.
"We are trying to make sure that we have a range of opportunities for staff to access support. If they feel supported and looked after at work then they will turn up for work. A lot of our staff have complicated lives, but no matter what, they turn up for work and look after our patients. They continue to go above and beyond."
Previously, the union UNISON has called on NHS bodies to - like Newcastle - improve mileage rates and pledge not to reintroduce staff parking charges. At the Newcastle Hospitals trust, all of those entitled to park on site continue to receive free parking.
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