Subsidised hot meals and discounted goods offered to struggling hospital staff in Dudley

Health chiefs at the trust which runs Russells Hall Hospital has introduced the two measures in response to the difficulty faced by staff.

It marks the latest measure to help support NHS staff in the region, with two other Black Country hospitals opening up food banks this week.

Diane Wake, chief executive of the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust, said: "It is vitally important to us that we support our staff, in particular through the current cost-of-living crisis. We recognised towards the end of last year that some of our workforce are really struggling to make ends meet so we set-up our own pop-up shop which offers discounted goods to our staff in exchange for an optional monetary donation.

"This is one of the things we are doing in our wellbeing support offer to all our staff which ensures they have access to lots of initiatives that are available to help with aspects of life; including energy bills, transport, wellbeing and finances. In addition, we also offer a subsidised hot meal for only £1.50 that staff can purchase as their lunch."

Meanwhile staff at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital and Walsall Manor Hospital have been offered free hot drinks, free bread for toast or a cereal bar, and a subsidised hot meal for £1.50 as well.

And leaders have said there has already been a "stream" of staff using the staff wellbeing hub at New Cross for breakfast and the food bank, whilst the same is expected at the other hospital.

The food banks are open to all staff, including those working in the community and Cannock Chase Hospital and West Park Hospital. The trusts were alerted to the need to support colleagues from July and August onwards after being told some were struggling to afford to come to work because of the cost of living crisis.

Anyone interested in donating should contact Amanda Winwood at Wolverhampton via email at amanda.winwood@nhs.net or Georgie Westley at Walsall at georgie.westley@nhs.net