In a decisive move, hundreds of NHS emergency hospital staff are set to engage in a 48-hour strike, citing a contentious dispute surrounding pay and the rebanding of roles. Approximately 400 workers from the Bedford and Luton & Dunstable hospitals will initiate the walkout from 07:30 GMT.
The catalyst for this action, as highlighted by the union Unison, revolves around healthcare assistants being tasked with clinical responsibilities without corresponding additional compensation. The Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, responsible for managing both hospitals, has expressed its commitment to collaborative efforts with the union.
While acknowledging the potential repercussions of the strike, the trust assured that outpatient services might experience delays, but no patient appointments were slated for cancellation. Unison contends that healthcare assistants in salary band 2 should be limited to personal care duties and not be assigned clinical tasks such as drawing blood, conducting electrocardiogram tests, and inserting cannulas, which, according to the union, should be performed by band 3 staff.
The trust has previously asserted its alignment with and full support for the rebanding of roles, presenting an offer to elevate workers to a higher pay grade, where applicable, with retroactive pay dating back to July 2021. However, Unison argues that the offered back pay falls short of members’ expectations, seeking compensation from as early as April 2018. Additionally, the union contends that the trust has not sufficiently clarified which staff members would undergo regrading.
Julie Trundell, Unison’s eastern regional organiser, emphasized that support staff “deserve to be paid fairly for their work.” The trust reiterated its stance, stating, “We are in agreement and fully supportive of the rebanding of these roles, continue to be in active discussions with Unison and our staff about this matter, and remain committed to bringing this matter to a conclusion as soon as possible.”
