A HOSPITAL trust revealed it spent £52,350 on employing a consultancy to boost staff and patient morale.

Colchester’s hospital trust made the announcement after it came under pressure to reveal the amount paid to private consultancy firm, April Strategy.

The company was called in by the hospital trust in April after disappointing results in the trust’s annual in-patient and staff surveys.

So far, it has put forward a number of suggestions, including employing more nurses, spending £100,000 on new equipment, creating a staff ID badge scheme and bedside information folders for patients.

It has also suggested training people as “stress buddies” to help colleagues feeling under pressure.

The hospital initially refused to reveal how much it was paying the firm, but made a U-turn after a Freedom of Information request by the Gazette.

A spokesman said: “Our trust employs more than 3,500 staff and is proud of the work they are doing to continue to improve the experience of patients in our hospitals.

“Fees paid to the April Strategy team over a six-month period total £52,350, a fraction of the £225million spent last year by our trust alone on healthcare for the people of north east Essex.

“We are very happy we have received – and will continue to receive – a significant return on investment, and that our patients will see the benefit for years to come.”