Healthcare staff in Northampton and Kettering set to join long-running strike, says UNISON

Across the Trusts, over 90%of those balloted said they would walk out.

Elsewhere, striking healthcare assistants at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust have agreed to pause their industrial action to give all three hospital trusts, which are led by the same chief executive, the time they need to get back around the table and come up with a fair deal that pays NHS staff what they’re owed, says UNISON.

According to NHS guidance, healthcare assistants on salary band 2 of the Agenda for Change pay scale should only be providing personal care, such as bathing and feeding patients. However, most of the healthcare assistants have routinely undertaken clinical tasks, such as taking blood, performing electrocardiogram tests and inserting cannulas.

UNISON East Midlands regional secretary Chris Jenkinson said:“It’s time for the chief executive to realise these NHS workers are in no mood to back down. He needs to make them a reasonable offer that address years of pay inequality.

“However, if he continues to ignore healthcare workers, we will significantly escalate our strike action with staff across Kettering, Leicester and Northampton walking out at the same time next month."