Healthcare staff in North Cumbria have won an increase in their mileage supplement from the local trust.

North Cumbria Integrated Care (NCIC) has agreed to pay a 10.9p increase per mile for the next three months which will then be reviewed.

NCIC covers hospitals across Carlisle and Workington.

Local community healthcare workers can cover thousands of miles per year due to the largely rural nature of Cumbria, making it almost a necessity to have a car and drive.

Liz Walsh, the Cumbria and North Lancashire Health branch secretary for UNISON, a healthcare workers’ union, said: “This is a good example of what we can achieve when we stand together.”

The NCIC mileage rates were 45p for the first 5,000 miles and 35p a mile after that before the new supplement was added from July 1.

Liz explained: “The Branch listened to and acted on our members coming forward and raising concerns that they could no longer afford to put petrol in their cars to do their jobs. 

“We raised the issue at a Partnership Forum and the trust took it on board and acted on it.”

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