Staff are fuming over the problems encountered since the company that processes pay was changed in June.

The transfer of North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust's payroll provider also coincided with a number of staff joining the PCT from Scarborough and North East Yorkshire NHS Trust.

A spokeswoman for the PCT said the reason for late and incorrect payments was missing information including late tax and claims forms.

As a result of this staff were put on a higher tax band than they should have been.

One anonymous post on the Whitby Gazette website said some problems were expected but not to the extent that happened.

"Many errors were made and most staff that went to this new wage company are still owed money from work done in June.

"Pay day again on 28th will they get paid proper?"

Another staff member who did not want to be named said her wages for overtime had been £200 short but they were eventually put into her bank account a week late.

She said staff morale is so low now the slightest of things upsets them.

"It was the icing on the cake," she said. "The deterioration of service, the closing of wards, cutting back of staff and services. We think the hospital is going to close. I think we've just lost the battle.

"The staff are doing a good job despite it all but don't feel supported at times by managers."

Unison branch secretary for North Yorkshire and York, Brenda Lloyd said the unions are angry about the fiasco which has affected staff in Malton and Northallerton too.

"Morale at Whitby Hospital has been pretty low for some time. It's doing nothing to improve morale at all.

"I do have grave concerns about this new payroll provider.

"They are a very big company handling 70% of NHS payroll. They should know what they are doing. Four months in I would hope they were getting it right.

"It's appalling. The staff work hard and I can understand them being very upset about this. We are talking about our low paid workers here. Some of them are one parent families."

Mrs Lloyd said she has been speaking to the PCT's HR department and senior managers to address the issues and said she has been given assurances staff who have gone overdrawn at the bank because of the slip-ups will be reimbursed.

She said the hospital is here to stay and there are no plans to close it. "Whitby cannot operate without a hospital. I will fight to keep this hospital open."

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire and York PCT said corrections for pay were rectified in July and August when outstanding payments went directly into employees accounts.

The largest payments to members of staff was £389 and the smallest was £25.

She said: "We greatly value our staff and would again like to take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience experienced and also thank staff for their support and understanding throughout the transfer period."