Health, News, Politics

Final day of action at Nottingham hospitals as healthcare assistants strike over backpay

Ongoing strikes at Nottingham’s main hospitals over pay disputes and working conditions have reached their final day as healthcare assistants call for backpay.

Backed by the union UNISON, the workers involved – which include support staff – are calling for what they say are acceptable wages under the campaign ‘Pay Fair for Patient Care’.

The dispute revolves around how much work and responsibility some hospital staff are given relative to their pay and job descriptions.

According to NHS guidance, ‘band two’ workers should only provide personal care, such as bathing and feeding patients.

However, UNISON says most of the healthcare assistants at Nottingham University Hospitals routinely undertake clinical tasks, such as taking blood, performing electrocardiogram tests and inserting cannulas.

The trust has agreed to regrade staff and backpay them up to August 2021, in a deal that’s been accepted by all the relevant unions except UNISON.

It expects this backpay, which is ‘in line with a national update on job profiles for health care support workers’, to cost about £10 million.

But UNISON says the trust is refusing to provide back pay for the extra responsibilities workers have been given beyond this date, with some of this dating back as far as 2018.

The trust says said it believes its offer is “fair and reasonable”, however, 94 per cent of UNISON members voted last month to strike.

The industrial action affects staff at Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital, though in a statement, the trust said hospital services shouldn’t be affected.

Today (April 28), workers, union members and supporters gathered for the final planned day of action, following strikes on April 17 and 22.

Beata, who has worked in QMC’s respiratory ward for six years and previously worked in City Hospital for two, said: “I’ve come here to support my colleagues and stand up for fair pay – not just for three years, but for six years.

“It’s important because we deserve backpay for our hard time – especially during Covid, we worked even harder than now under the pressure.

“We can get our fair pay when we stand up together. We will be very strong and solidarity is the most important thing to get what we really deserve”.

Christina McAnea, the general secretary of UNISON, previously told Notts TV: “Nobody at the NHS wants to strike, but sometimes there is no option.

“We are pleased it’s a Labour Government, they are committed to the NHS and its future. I recognise the difficult position we are in financially, but there needs to be decent funding.

“The problem is that there’s too many staff vacancies, you can get more money working in a supermarket. You will not attract good people and you certainly won’t retain them.”

Previously commenting on the strike, the hospitals trust said it had “robust plans” to reduce the impact on services and said patient safety is its priority.

Tracy Pilcher, chief nurse at the hospitals, added: “Our healthcare support workers are a vital and valuable group of colleagues. Our hospitals could not run without their skill and dedication to our patients.

“We have agreed to increase the annual salary of our healthcare support workers and provide them with backpay to August 2021.

“We believe that this is a fair and reasonable offer and this has been accepted by four of the five unions who represent the workforce. I am sorry that we could not reach a resolution with UNISON.”