Derriford Hospital healthcare staff walk out on strike for the first time in row over pay

ITV News' Sam Blackledge reports on the start of a two-day strike at Derriford Hospital


Healthcare assistants and clinical support workers at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth have walked out on strike for the first time in a row over fair pay.

Union leaders claim staff are in the wrong pay band for the work they do.

Hayley Duffin, emergency healthcare assistant, said: "We're here for equal pay for patient care. We have been doing this job for years and it has only just been recognised that we are working way above our banding."We do venepuncture and cannulation, so we take bloods and we put in cannulas to give medication. As well as catheterising and ECGs."

Hayley Duffin is a healthcare assistant in the emergency department. Credit: ITV News

Leon Shrigley, who is an imaging care assistant, said: "If you do at least one clinical task which is on a list of 16, then you should be made up to the top of band three. But that hasn't happened."

Unison official Sarah Woodward said: "This group of staff have never taken industrial action, this is an absolute last resort.

"This is how angry these staff are that actually they go over and above every single day to deliver patient care, and this trust has disrespected and exploited them and they've had enough."

Hospital bosses say they have plans in place to deal with disruption caused by the two-day strike.In a statement, a trust spokesman said: 'We have been working with our staff and trades unions to clarify what healthcare support workers should be doing at different levels which has led to increases to the pay bands for a number of staff."

Darryn Allcorn, the trust's chief nurse. said: "We respect our staff's right to take industrial action. We have well tried and tested contingency programmes in place to make sure that we can mitigate that.

"Ultimately we will continue to maintain services as much as we can. We know that our staff will be busy so please respect our staff, treat them with civility."

Staff say they feel undervalued. Credit: ITV News

A trust spokesman said: "We recognise and appreciate the huge contribution that all of our healthcare support workers make to our patients.

"Following a national review of the job profiles for some support worker roles, we have been working with our staff and trades unions to clarify what healthcare support workers should be doing at different levels which has led to increases to the pay bands for a number of staff.

“We are committed to providing healthcare support workers with a resolution, however respect colleagues’ right to take strike action and we appreciate that it can be a difficult decision to make, both professionally and personally.

“We would like to reassure patients that we have tried and tested plans in place to deal with any disruptions such as industrial action.

"We will contact patients if their procedure or outpatient appointment is cancelled, but they should attend a procedure or appointment if they have not heard from us.

“If you do not have an emergency, please call your GP, visit a pharmacist for advice and for the treatment of minor ailments, make use of our Minor Injury Units at Tavistock and Kingsbridge, our Urgent Treatment Centre at the Cumberland Centre in Devonport, or use 111.nhs.uk.”