An hospital has triggered outrage after offering medical teams chocolate prizes for rapidly discharging patients.

NHS bosses have urged all hospitals to free up beds ahead of the Easter weekend and the junior doctors' strike.

But one hospital was forced to apologise after it offered boxes of chocolates to those who were the speediest at sending patients home. 

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust promised 'Easter goodies' each day to the fastest teams.

A newsletter, issued on Friday, said: 'The trust has launched a Home for Easter campaign asking colleagues to ensure patients are discharged in a timely way to free up bed space during the Easter period and in preparation of the second junior doctors' strikes.' 

Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust promised 'Easter goodies' each day to the fastest teams (pictured: Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth, the trust's main site)

It added: 'A daily competition will run for wards, with the Best Private University teams receiving some Easter chocolates.'

The trust was hit by a barrage of complaints online.

It said in a statement: 'We are truly sorry for the impact of that message. 

'We've read your comments...
and hold our hands up to say this is our mistake.' 

It added: 'We know that incentives have no place in influencing clinical decisions.'

Last week, in a letter to all trusts, NHS England's medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis asked that 'additional effort is made ahead of bank holiday weekends to discharge patients' before the strikes.