Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LUHFT) has announced that it will bring 670 staff at its Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen sites in-house, improving terms and conditions for all these staff, and improving pay for many, in a move that is an investment in communities across Liverpool.
Staff working in hotel services, including cleaning, portering and catering roles, will be transferred into NHS employment when the Trust’s existing contract comes to an end this year. These roles are successfully delivered in-house at the Trust’s other sites.
The move follows competitive market testing and honours a previous commitment by the Trust’s Board to review outsourced services when contracts come up for renewal and bring services in house, providing that doing so delivers best value for money.
In addition to improved terms and conditions for staff, planned benefits of the move also include increased flexibility over how the services are run, improved quality and better integration of services.
In recent years the Trust has also brought other similar services in-house, including linen, decontamination and security.
James Sumner, Chief Executive at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “As one of the largest employers in the region the Trust has a duty to invest in its workforce and local communities. I’m delighted that we are now able to bring these roles in-house and ensure our colleagues, who do such valuable roles in our hospitals, can benefit from the same terms and conditions as their NHS counterparts. This decision also delivers on our vision to support communities to live healthier, happier, fairer lives.”
Staff in these roles have been informed of the decision and will be supported by the Trust’s Workforce team ahead of their transfer into NHS employment, which is scheduled for 1st April 2023.
The decision is supported by Unison, Unite the Union and GMB, who have campaigned for their members working in these services to receive the same terms and conditions as colleagues employed directly by the NHS.
Joe Baldwin, Chair of UNISON Liverpool Hospitals Health Branch, said: “We welcome the decision to bring this service back into the NHS. We have been campaigning for a long time for these members to be afforded the same pay and conditions as those of us who work directly for the NHS. This is also about pensions and access to wider opportunities and staff benefits. We are ‘One NHS’ – and our members in this service are a vital part of our health service.”
Derek Jones, Regional Industrial Officer for Unite the Union, said: “Unite, like sister unions, welcomes the decision of the Trust to bring this service back in house. Unite has long campaigned for the service to return to the NHS, so that these workers receive the same terms and conditions and pay as other staff directly employed at the Trust.”
Kerry Nash, Regional Officer, GMB North West and Irish Region, said: “We welcome the decision to bring this service back into the NHS. GMB and sister unions have been campaigning for a long time for our members to be afforded the same pay and conditions as staff they work alongside at the Trust.”