HEALTH chiefs are celebrating after getting a Government pat on the back for trying to improve employees' working lives.

The County Durham and Darlington Priority Services Trust, which provides mental health treatment across the county, has won the Department of Health's Improving Working Lives (IWL) Practice Plus accreditation.

Assessors looked at the trust's policies and practices and met more than 100 workers before making the award.

A trust spokeswoman said they were impressed by a number of things, such as the trust offering subsidised alternative therapy sessions to staff, and new employees having a meeting with the trust's chief executive three months after they have started.

Human resources director Sue Canning said: "We strive to be a model employer and to ensure that our staff are able to achieve a healthy balance between their work and home life.

"This in turn promotes the delivery of high quality care for the people who use our services.

"IWL Practice Plus accreditation demonstrates that our efforts to improve the working lives of everyone who works at the trust are starting to make a real difference.''