Staff were treated like utter garbage

THE Healthcare Environmental Services scandal perfectly illustrates the dangers of letting the private sector run public services.

The Shotts-based firm provided waste disposal services for several NHS trusts before they went bust late last year.

Problems first arose when allegations emerged down south that some of the waste was being allowed to build up.

The quality of the service was not up to scratch. Contracts were cancelled across the country and the firm collapsed.

Now, destitute workers have told how they were forced to use food banks over the festive season after being left without money they were owed.

Bosses insisted there was no cash to pay wages and told staff to claim statutory redundancy payments. But the workers were given no insolvency reference number – meaning they could get no cash.

Hard workers like single mum Sheryl Alexander were essentially abandoned over Christmas with no help from the company or the state.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said it is the “most extreme” redundancy situation he has seen.

Exploitative firms such as HES should never have been allowed anywhere near our precious health service.

Scots deserve to know those responsible for something as important as NHS waste disposal will always prioritise patients over profit.

There was no choice but to dump HES from those contracts.

But the Scottish and UK governments also have a duty to help staff who are the innocent victims of this shambles.