HUNDREDS of domestic hospital staff in Glasgow are still owed cash - more than a year after a health board pay deadline.

And bosses say it could be Christmas before workers receive their back pay, owed as part of Agenda for Change.

More than 40,000 NHS staff, from nurses to porters, were awarded salary rises when the scheme was introduced in 2004.

Health chiefs had promised to pay back all staff, owed up to as much as £3500, by the end of summer 2007.

But domestic staff from Glasgow Royal Infirmary, due between hundreds of pounds up to £2000, are still waiting to receive their extra pay.

Cleaners at the hospital were employed by an outside contractor until 2006 making money owed to them more difficult to calculate.

Staff at the hospital say they are fed-up waiting and claim the payroll department have been told not to prioritise their cash issues.

One woman, who asked not to be named, said: "We have as much right to our money as anyone else but there's still no sign of us getting it.

"Payroll say they have to make sure everyone is paid on time so they don't have enough time left to sort out our back pay. We're fed up waiting."

Matt McGlaughlin, Unison representative for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said the union had been in talks with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

He said: "The situation with domestic staff is much trickier than with other staff as they were previously on a private contract, making it more difficult to determine what they are owed.

"The payroll department has been told to make sure they pay staff their current wages before arranging the back pay."

Agenda for Change was designed to improve pay and reward staff who had completed extra training or taken on more responsibilities.

But assessing the pay level and tax deductions of every worker is proving to be a complicated process.

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: "We are aware of the situation and it is expected that all arrears for this group of staff will be paid by the end of the year."