A finding bid to pay for a new hospital childcare expert has been successful.

The Sussex Workforce Confederation has agreed to finance a full-time childcare co-ordinator, who will provide Worthing and Southlands Hospitals Trust and Arun, Adur and Worthing Primary Care Trust with a variety of information about childcare provision.

Worthing and Southlands Hospitals have two on-site nurseries and run a play scheme.

The new co-ordinator will conduct market testing exercises to identify what other childcare services are needed for trust employees.

This may include changes to nursery start and finish times, evening and weekend childcare sessions and clubs for older children.

It is hoped the results of the exercises will lead to more funding, allowing the co-ordinator to implement any changes.

A trust spokeswoman said: "Future projects could include working in partnership with local councils and schools to provide employees with better family-friendly childcare practices.

"The initiative aims to improve the working lives of staff in both trusts by providing them with good advice and helping them to balance work with family life."