Hospital services to come back in-house
Union claims‘victory’as deal struck with Serco
Support services at University Hospital Wishaw will now be provided in-house.
NHS Lanarkshire announced it has reached an agreement in principle with the private financial initiative provider Summit Healthcare Limited and the current support service contractor Serco.
The affected services are catering, cleaning, portering, patient laundry, switchboard and security.
They will transfer from Serco to NHS Lanarkshire later this year, in return for an agreed level of compensation.
Colin Lauder, NHS Lanarkshire director of planning, property and performance, said: “We are delighted to announce that these services will be provided by an in-house team at University Hospital Wishaw.
“This is part of our long-term strategic aim and NHS Lanarkshire’s board commitment to bring staff providing these service back in-house as part of our strategic aim.
“To have these services delivered by directly employed staff is in line with the Scottish Government policy since 2008 to seek to provide services in-house where the opportunity exists to do so.
“The approximately 400 existing staff who deliver these essential support services will transfer under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE) to direct employment with NHS Lanarkshire.
“Building maintenance will continue to be provided by Serco.
“NHS Lanarkshire, Summit and Serco will now work through the legal and operational process of implementing the TUPE transfer to ensure that the employment rights of all staff affected are protected.
“Consultation with staff affected and their trade union representatives will begin immediately, though the transfer process is likely to take until the autumn to complete.
“NHS Lanarkshire would like to stress that this transfer of responsibility is not a reflection on the quality of the patient-focused service provided by Serco over the past 22 years and, in particular, the last two years of the pandemic and wish to thank both Summit and Serco for their active participation in this process.”
Leading public sector union UNISON stated it was “a major victory” in the fight to end outsourcing of hospital services.
The Lanarkshire Health branch of UNISON has been running a “PFI bleeds the NHS dry” campaign to end profit-motivated private contracts providing public services at NHS hospitals at public expense.
A similar contract is in place at University Hospital Hairmyres in East Kilbride which is currently held by ISS.
Katrina Murray, chair of UNISON’s Lanarkshire health branch, added: “We are delighted at the outcome and want to thank our members and everyone who supported our campaign over the years.
“We have seen too many examples of these private profit-driven companies charging the NHS exorbitant rates for additional services when the real cost is a fraction of the price.
“There is no room for profiteering at the expense of the NHS. It’s time to get rid of these contractors.”