Bradford NHS Trust: Unison welcomes trust's decision to retain staff

The plan would have affected about 600 workers

Union leaders have welcomed a decision not to go ahead with plans to transfer NHS porters, cleaners, security staff and others into a private company.

Unison said the move by Bradford NHS Trust ended the threat of "backdoor privatisation" which was set to affect about 600 lower-paid workers.

Its members were set to walk out over the plans but action was called off in August after talks progressed.

The trust said it had decided not to continue with plans for a new company.

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It had proposed to set up an NHS-owned company for its estates, called Bradford Healthcare Facilities Management Ltd (BHFML).

The trust said it had listened to staff who were affected by the change

But Mel Pickup, chief executive of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The new company will not be established.

"We have taken this decision for the right reasons: we have listened to staff who were affected by the change and heard their concerns. And we were not prepared to compromise on patient safety by risking further industrial action over the winter period."

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis said: "This is extremely good news for the staff who will continue to be employed by the NHS.

"Splitting workers within the same trust between different employers makes no sense and adds further complications to patient care."

Unison's Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Natalie Ratcliffe said: "The affected NHS workers will be overjoyed.

"It's fantastic that the trust has re-considered its position and now wants to rebuild morale, trust and team spirit in its hospitals."