A BONUS scheme designed to reward doctors who do extra work is being extended to a second North-Eastern hospital trust.
Since it was introduced in 32 NHS trusts last October, doctors and other staff have carried out an additional 6,000 outpatient consultations and 8,400 extra operations.
The Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, which includes the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle General Hospital and The Freeman Hospital, was part of the first pilot scheme.
Now it is being extended to the Hartlepool and North Tees Hospitals NHS Trust.
Nationally, the pilot involved 400 doctors and other clinical staff. The scheme is to be extended into the diagnostic sector to help speed up tests on patients.
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