HOSPITAL bosses are set to spend hundreds of pounds buying staff unbrellas in a bid to get them to walk to work.

Winchester’s Royal Hampshire County Hospital chiefs want to spend £500 of taxpayers’ money on umbrellas in a bid to make its staff more environmentally aware.

The plan has been unveiled as part of the hospital’s new green travel plan called “Saving Carbon, Improving Lives”.

However, opponents of the umbrella plan say the money could be better spent on hospital essentials such as disposable glove dispensers and dressing and equipment trollies.

Mark Wallace, r e g i o n a l spokesman for The Taxpayers’ Alliance, said: “ T a x p a y e r s ’ money is meant to be spent healing the sick, not keeping the rain off NHS staff “There are already serious problems for people trying to get appointments and patients trying to get treatment.

“So umbrellas are a totally unnecessary waste of money.

“There is no reason why the staff can’t buy their own umbrellas like everybody else.”

The green travel plan, which will be introduced next month, aims to cut the number of staff who drive to the car-clogged hospital site.

However one of its supporters, Winchester and Eastleigh H e a l t h c a r e Trust chairman Mike Gretton, who is trying to convince staff to cycle to work, revealed he had has been knocked off his bike.

Mr Gretton broke six ribs and punctured a lung after a collision with a car in Headbourne Worthy last September.

Speaking at the public trust board meeting he said: “This (green travel) nearly brought me to a sticky end. I tested the accident and emergency department comprehensively.”

Mr Gretton told the board he was looking forward to riding his bike to work again – and claiming 22p per mile allowance.

But a hospital manager sparked laughter when he said Mr Gretton had already cost the trust about £20,000 in hospital bills.

Meanwhile staff car parking charges may be increased and some non-shift workers banned from parking on site.

Managers say the new parkand- ride site to the south of the city should help when it is built.

There are currently 2,000 staff working at the hospital.