Fresh fears Cornish NHS workers could face a pay cut.

Unions are worried as it is revealed a South West Pay Consortium has been set up.

It comes amid government plans to bring in a regional deal, where staff in the poorest parts of the country earn less.

Sophie Scott is Deputy Director of Human Resources at Royal Cornwall Hositals Trust.

In a statement, she said: "Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust has agreed to work with other organisations in the South West to explore different ways of rewarding and incentivising staff that will lead to better healthcare services. It is very early days in the discussions but the focus is on improving quality of care and productivity in the NHS. It is also about how we can better use public money and the paybill which is up to 70% of overall spend to achieve improvements in patient care at a time when efficiency savings must be made."  

A spokesperson for NHS South of England added, "NHS Foundation Trusts have certain financial freedoms including  the ability to negotiate on local pay scales.  We are aware that some employers are considering  working more collaboratively in order to ensure that their pay frameworks represent best value for money.

"We are aware that this issue has been discussed at the Regional Social Partnership Forum and the Strategic Health Authority continues to work with employers and trades unions in applying national terms and conditions where employers do not have the freedom to develop their own."