'Pay, pension and job security at risk' in NHS outsourcing plans, claim union
The NHS tell us that this new firm would be wholly-owned by the Trusts involved in the idea
The UNISON union is calling controversial outsourcing plans for NHS workers in Dorset a move which put 'pay, pension and job security at risk' for the more than 1,300 staff who may be impacted.
They add the porters, cleaners, catering teams, estates staff, and health & safety officers face the possibility of inferior pay and conditions under controversial plans to transfer them to a new company.
Three trusts – Dorset HealthCare, Dorset County Hospital and University Hospitals Dorset NHS Trusts – have announced proposals to transfer all estates and facilities staff into one wholly owned subsidiary company (SubCo).
The NHS tell us that this new firm would be wholly-owned by the Trusts - meaning colleagues will retain their NHS terms and conditions, and vitally, their NHS pension too.
UNISON add the plans also fly in the face in the face of ministers’ promises to end the two-tier workforce and bring about the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation, says the union
Their South West regional secretary Kerry Baigent said: “These are the staff who keep our hospitals running. They clean wards, serve meals, maintain buildings, transport patients and deserve to be treated like any other NHS worker.
“Moving them to a separate company puts their pay, pensions and job security at risk.
“Ministers promised the biggest wave of insourcing in a generation and are introducing new employment rights legislation to help end the two-tier workforce. Urging trusts to outsource their porters, cleaners, security guards and catering staff to arms-length companies flies in the face of all this.”
'Our staff are absolutely central to the provision of safe, effective patient care'
Siobhan Harrington, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Dorset, and Matthew Bryant, Chief Executive of Dorset County Hospital and Dorset HealthCare, said: “The NHS trusts in Dorset are working together to improve the care we provide to our patients and to make the best use of our resources. Dorset County Hospital, Dorset HealthCare and University Hospitals Dorset are exploring whether our estates, facilities management and procurement services could be provided for the three trusts by teams based in a new company. This will be wholly-owned by the trusts so remains in the NHS family with colleagues retaining their NHS terms and conditions and their NHS pension.
“This is in line with a national request that NHS trusts look at setting up wholly-owned subsidiary companies to help improve efficiency and provide services that are affordable, helping address the huge financial challenge faced by the NHS nationally.
“Our staff working in these services are highly valued colleagues and absolutely central to the provision of safe, effective patient care. We will work with them and our union representatives to develop this approach together and support our colleagues, recognising a change like this can be unsettling for those involved.”