Two-day healthcare worker strike starts over pay

Healthcare workers were on a picket line outside East Surrey Hospital on Tuesday morning

A two-day strike by healthcare assistants at three hospitals in West Sussex and Surrey started on Tuesday morning.

More than 350 staff at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust are taking to picket lines in a dispute over back pay, after it offered to change their salary band.

Members of the Unison union at East Surrey Hospital in Redhill, Crawley Hospital and Horsham Hospital said they have been carrying out work beyond their pay grade for years.

A spokesperson for the trust said it was "disappointed" a pay offer had not been accepted "and that this action is taking place whilst the grievance process is ongoing".

More than 350 staff at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust are striking from Tuesday

Striking staff are on band two of their pay scale, which means they should only undertake personal care tasks such as bathing or feeding patients.

But Rachel Slaughter, Unison South East regional organiser, told BBC Radio Sussex they had been "carrying out clinical duties which is above their pay grade and on the higher banding".

This work included taking blood samples from patients, the trust said.

Ms Slaughter said the trust had agreed to reband the healthcare assistants, "but what they're not agreeing to is to give them what they owe them and back pay them for the work they've done".

She added that the difference in pay equated to about £40 a week for employees, "which would make a huge difference to the lowest paid people".

Additional strike dates have been set for 25 and 26 July.

Ms Slaughter said the union would "still be open to talks" next week to avoid further action.

The trust spokesperson said: "We are working closely with those members of staff and their union to find a resolution as soon as possible.”