Millennium bonus payments for hospital staff in Essex have been set - but they are hundreds of pounds less than Health unions wanted.

Doctors, consultants, nurses and laboratory staff will get £100 on top of their Bank Holiday pay for working the shift over the New Year period.

Health chiefs at the Eastern Region of the NHS have set the rate for staff across six counties in East Anglia.

Cash-strapped hospital Trusts will have to find the extra money from their own budgets.

An extra £50 will also be given to staff who work through one shift either side of the millennium - but it is unclear if this will be New Year's Eve or New Year's Day.

An Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust spokesman said: "This is in recognition of the contribution and commitment that these people are making." The same is true for Mid-Essex Hospitals Trust which runs services in Chelmsford, Braintree and Maldon.

Des McCarron, north-east Essex chairman of the Royal College of Nursing, said the offer was "disappointing".

"This offer is disappointing and it doesn't come anywhere near what people in other professions are getting."

A united force of unions representing NHS staff wanted £500 for each member of staff for the New Year period and £250 for shifts either side.

The Government said earlier this year it would not set a national pay level but that it would be up to individual trusts to set a rate.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.