Nearly 7,000 hospital staff are being rewarded with a £250 bonus for working "harder and smarter" to bring down waiting lists and make other improvements to patient care.

The employees, from cleaners to consultants, will benefit from a one-off payout by the East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust estimated at £1.6million - an amount that could be used to provide free parking for hospital patients and visitors for a year.

The trust says it can afford the gesture because it has made savings totalling £40million in recent years and is £7million in credit.

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Among the savings is £8million in reduced agency staff costs. The £250 bonuses will be to full-time staff with pro-rata payments for part-time and newly appointed staff.

Announcing the reward, trust chief executive Stuart Bain said: "During the past two years staff have worked together and worked hard and smart to deliver some very impressive achievements."

Among the improvements he listed are:

~ Improved patient safety, with a mortality ratio 14 per cent below the average;

~ C difficle rates among the lowest in the country;

~ Waiting lists down 35 per cent over the last year;

~ Improved patient access in A7E, maternity and oncology;

~ £30million invested in new theatres, wards and clinical services.

Mr Bain added: "Our efficiency has also brought financial stability, enabling us to go forward with further investments to improve services in the future."

In a letter to staff, Mr Bain adds: "All this has been achieved by our existing staff and, since you are the people who actually delivered the improvements in efficiency and savings, I believe that you should all share in the benefits you have created for our patients."