Health Secretary limits after NHS outsourcing

The Health Secretary has limited health service outsourcing following a meeting with GMB members.

The Government has today written to NHS bosses telling them he will ‘change the national guidance to confirm that new subsidiaries involving the transfer of NHS staff will now only be approved in a limited number of circumstances and only where there is clear union support and protection of NHS terms and conditions, including pension access.’

Subsidiaries are created by NHS Trusts who transfer existing staff under worse terms and conditions.

More than 180 staff at Airedale Hospital, in Yorkshire, who have suffered under this arrangement have been on strike.

Some of them met the Health Secretary, who promised to act on their behalf.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said:

“Today’s announcement shows the Health Secretary is listening to GMB members.

“More than 180 Airedale Hospital workers have been on strike after the trust’s wholly-owned subsidiary, AGH Solutions, refused to recognise them as NHS workers.

“They met with the West Streeting who promised to act, and he has.

“AGH must now give Airedale workers the NHS terms and conditions they deserve.

“GMB has long campaigned to end two-tier workforces in public services and Labour has promised to do that.”