NHS staff working in IT services at two health trusts in the West Midlands are willing to take industrial action over plans to transfer them to a private firm, says UNISON. Almost 150 IT staff at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust (GEH) and South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) face being transferred to a new wholly owned subsidiary company (subco) against their will, says the union.

UNISON says this is an attempt to bring in ‘backdoor privatisation’ in the NHS and that managers at SWFT set up the subco months ago, before they even held discussions with staff. 

Last month, the union wrote to SWFT and NHS Improvement – the regulator for health trusts – to highlight its opposition to the move, which is expected to take place in October.  

In the letter, UNISON expressed concern that the process for involving staff in decisions around subcos was not followed properly. It pointed out the workers should have been properly consulted about establishing and using a private company to deliver services.

The union said NHS Improvement guidance clearly states employees facing transfer must be consulted about any plans. Staff have indicated that they are willing to take industrial action in a consultation and the next step will be to ballot staff on what form this should take.

UNISON deputy head of health Helga Pile said: “The rise of subsidiary companies is a worrying trend for staff and the future of the NHS. Cash-strapped trusts often see them as a money-saving solution. But they’re effectively privatisation by the back door, and staff will end up undervalued and underpaid.

“The guidance was for trusts to demonstrate they had buy-in from staff. Yet this clearly isn’t happening. NHS Improvement must intervene to protect the workforce or risk staff leaving in droves.” 

   

UNISON West Midlands regional organiser Mike Wilson said: “These workers are passionate about their place in the NHS. They’re proudly part of the team supporting the health of their local community and that’s where they should remain.

“Creating companies like this is privatisation by any other name. The public don’t want to see the NHS ripped apart like this. They’ve shown throughout the pandemic how much they value their health service.”