THE public's health is in their hands - but the 2,500 workers at Dorset County Hospital are struggling to cope with long hours and staff shortages.

This has resulted in the first improvement notice to control workplace stress served on a British employer by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

NHS chiefs were ordered to carry out a risk assessment on stress levels at the Dorchester hospital after one employee made a confidential complaint.

Nick Cox, chief executive of West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust, faces prosecution if policies and plans to deal with staff stress are not put in place by December 15.

Dorset County Hospital is a flagship three-star establishment and one of Britain's best for patient care, but some staff feel they are paying a personal price for that success.

Medical secretaries have threatened to walk out over low pay and grades that fall below national scales and speech therapists claim their service is stretched to breaking point with inadequate staffing.

Although counsellors and occupational health services are available, some people would rather leave than battle on in the current climate.

One member of nursing staff, who asked not to be named, said: "I feel the trust is not family-friendly and has little or no consideration to our needs.

"When challenged, the trust's attitude appears to be 'if you do not like the working practices or cannot comply then please leave the building.'

"Nurses and all other staff work very hard and put in extra hours, often with little financial reward or gratitude.

"I am proud of the people I work with and patients we care for, but see little hope for a future career in nursing."

Another person who works at the hospital said: "The management does not appreciate the staff at all - they think we are all replaceable.

"They do not care what is happening on the shop floor or what pressure you are under, as long as their figures look good.

"They are rude to staff and can almost reduce you to tears if you want to book leave - they do not understand you have a life as well as work.

"A lot of people take time off for stress; I have never known so much 'sickness' in all my life.

"When someone goes off sick you get no support, which stresses you out even more."

The hospital's director of human resources, Robert Pascall, said: "Staff do work very hard because we are a very busy hospital and some areas are under a lot of pressure.

"We are no different from any other hospital in that respect.

"I have been talking to as many staff as possible and am pleased that they are telling me their concerns.

"We are working with managers, staff and unions to identify what areas make them stressed and prioritise them before dealing with it.

"It is a big challenge, but we will meet it."

The hospital is supported in its bid to reduce stress by unions and the HSE.

UNISON spokesman Elaine Taylor said: "We have a lot to deal with in terms of workload and some staff work overtime to cover staff shortages from people off sick, but they are often happy to do that.

"We welcome the opportunity to work with staff and management to develop an effective policy which addresses the issues highlighted by the HSE."

A spokesman for the HSE said: "The Trust received the improvement notice because it did not have a work-related stress policy or risk assessment of work-related stressors.

It is about systems of work and does not suggest that staff at Dorset County Hospital are more stressed than others in public sector organisations."