Porters, cleaners and caterers at the hospital were outsourced to private company ISS during the pandemic, but were taken back in house in April 2023.

The timing of the transfer means that 60% of them missed out on the lump sum payment given to directly employed NHS staff and colleagues on Agenda for Change linked contracts.

However, an offer from the trust received by the workers on Monday (19 November) pledged to pay the lump sum.

The workers, represented by the GMB union, voted to accept the offer.

Kerry Nash, GMB senior organiser, said: 'Our members have stuck together to fight for what they rightly deserve, receiving the payment for them was about respecting their roles and the contributions they made to support patient care.

'All health workers who put their lives on the line during the pandemic deserve this payment and now, thankfully, our members will get it too.'