HEALTH

Lower paid NHS staff are furious after trusts spent millions setting up companies for them to be “privatised” .

Cleaners, porters and maintenance staff are being moved to arms-length firms in at least 19 authorities.

Trusts say current workers’ rights and pay will be protected, but trade unions argue they are creating a “two tier workforce”.

Unison found millions have been spent on consultants to set up “wholly owned subsidiaries” which the union claims will not have to pay NHS rates in future.

Fifteen trusts in England have already spent £3.2million between them, Freedom of Information Act figures show.

Sara Gorton, Unison’s head of health, said: “Public money being frittered away on transferring NHS staff to private firms is a disgrace, especially when there’s a squeeze on resources.”

NHS Providers, which represents the trusts, denied the moves were privatisation. Its chief, Chris Hopson, said: “Wholly owned subsidiaries have been operating without controversy in the NHS for many years.”

One in 10 millenials would rather break a bone than spend 24 hours without their mobile, says a study by tech repair specialist iSmash.

It also found half of those questioned argue with partners over using their phone too much. The average Brit is glued to a phone for 3.81 hours a day. One in seven would also rather get all their hair shaved off than lose their phone for a day.

Julian Shovlin, founder of iSmash, said: “Our mobile devices are increasingly becoming part of our lives.

“And nothing highlights that better than the fact that a huge portion of the population would prefer to break a bone than go without.”

MARTIN BAGOT is the Mirror’s Health Correspondent