HUNDREDS of women health workers in Scotland are to receive five years of backdated public holidays they were wrongly denied while on maternity leave.

NHS working mothers, including nurses, physiotherapists, cleaners, midwives, admin workers and other staff, could receive up to seven days if they were in full-time posts. Women who had more than one period of maternity leave since 2008 are due backdated holidays for each period.

Health boards across Scotland were told by the NHS Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee, a body of employers and unions, to implement the change from April 1, 2008.

Willie Duffy, the Unison lead on the NHS, said that management conceded an argument first raised and won by the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Unison branch. He added: "We knew that we were right to argue this should apply Scotland-wide."

Most NHS boards contacted were unable to say how they would deal with the holidays.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde would only say it was "looking at ways to implement the guidance."

NHS Lothian is one of the few health boards that did not deny public holidays to women on maternity leave.