Latest news with #NHSAgendaforChange
BBC News
20-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Gloucestershire NHS staff to strike for nine more days in pay row
A number of specialist NHS staff at two Gloucestershire hospitals will walk out for nine more days amid a dispute over their pay and phlebotomists - staff who take blood samples - from Gloucestershire Royal Hospital and Cheltenham General Hospital took industrial action from Monday to Wednesday this Unison union says the NHS trust that runs both hospitals has "repeatedly missed deadlines to correct the workers' pay". The staff are set to continue their strike from Monday to Thursday next week, and from Monday 31 March to Friday 4 April. The trust said no blood will be taken from patients during the industrial action and has apologised to patients. Dawny Elliott, who works at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, said she and other phlebotomists played "a vital role" in the NHS."Every diagnosis starts with a phlebotomist. Yet we're feeling very overworked, undervalued, and underpaid," she said."My colleagues and I are passionate about our jobs, but many of us are struggling to make ends meet."Some are even taking on second jobs just to get by." A Unison spokesperson said: "The trust has ignored a fair job evaluation process and attempted to get out of its obligations to assess the phlebotomists' skills and responsibilities," "Despite clear evidence that these health workers should be on band three of the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale, the trust managers continue to pay them at the lower band two grade, meaning they are losing out on around £1 an hour."Chris Roche, south west regional organiser at Unison, said managers had been given "more than a year to put things right"."Now, faced with yet another failure by their employer, phlebotomists have no choice but to escalate their action," Mr Roche said. 'Contingency plans in place' Kevin McNamara, chief executive of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said the trust "recognises and appreciates the valuable contribution" phlebotomists make."We will continue to work closely in partnership with our local union representatives and phlebotomists on resolving these issues," he added."Contingency plans are in place and we are advising patients who have an appointment at either Cheltenham General Hospital (CGH) or Gloucestershire Royal Hospital (GRH) during periods of industrial action to attend as normal unless they hear from us directly to advise otherwise. "However, there will be no phlebotomy service/blood taken from patients during industrial action."We would like to apologise for any inconvenience in advance."
BBC News
06-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS counsellors threaten to strike over pay
NHS mental health workers are voting on if they should go on strike in a row about Unison union claims 20 of its members are being paid trainee rates, despite being fully said the counsellors, who work for the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, were owed thousands of and Waveney Mind, which employs the counsellors, said hourly rates were set following an evaluation by an independent external body. A Unison vote on whether to take industrial action closes on 17 union's eastern regional organiser, Cameron Matthews, said: "These counsellors provide essential support to people going through serious mental health issues across Norfolk and Suffolk."But Mind has been taking advantage of their commitment to patients, paying them thousands of pounds a year less than they deserve."After months of talks, the staff have understandably had enough and decided the only way to change Mind's stance is to vote for industrial action." Unison said the row began last year when the counsellors, who were on band six of the NHS Agenda for Change salary scale, asked to go up a pay claimed "no progress" was made during and Waveney Mind insisted it wanted to work collaboratively with all parties involved to find a "productive and appropriate solution".A spokesperson said: "We began to deliver the NHS Talking Therapies service on 1 September 2024."We have had the role in question evaluated by an independent external body, which advised us that the counsellors' pay grade is correct."We are in ongoing talks with UNISON, ACAS and staff representatives and are committed to resolving this situation through open and honest dialogue with all parties."Norfolk and Waveney Mind said it would meet on 14 March to discuss the ongoing situation. Follow East of England news on X, Instagram and Facebook: BBC Norfolk or BBC Suffolk.
