HEALTH workers were among dozens of people who staged a protest near York Hospital over the proposed transfer of NHS staff to a subsidiary company.

More than 40 people, including members of trade unions such as Unison, Unite and GMB, attended the rally in Wigginton Road this morning (Wednesday, July 25).

It comes after York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust formed a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) to deal with estates and facilities at its sites, including York Hospital.

A spokesperson for the trust said the LLP is “wholly owned by the NHS”.

It will see staff who work in facilities and maintenance roles at York Hospital and across the trust move to the new company on October 1.

The protestors gathered ahead of a meeting between the trust’s board of directors, but the issue was not listed on the agenda at the time of publication.

Unison area organiser Sarah Keig attended the rally. She said trade unions have put forward a proposal to the trust to second staff to the subsidiary company, which would mean they would still be employed by the NHS but work for the new company.

Speaking about the trust’s proposed option, Sarah said: “The current staff who work in estates and facilities would be transferred out of the NHS into this new company. There’s a number of reasons why we’re against that, first of all the staff want to work for the NHS, they’re very proud to work for the NHS and they don’t want to have that right taken away from them.”

She added that staff could have their terms, conditions and pensions rights changed under the new company.

Iain Douglas, a shift engineer at York Hospital and a member of York Health Unite, was also at the rally. He said he has concerns about how the changes could affect staff’s terms, conditions and pensions and fears it could lead to job losses.

Michelle Hartlett, branch secretary of York Health Unite and an employee at the hospital, also joined the protest. She said: “We’re here today to show the board we are here, we are completely against this wholly owned company. We think it’s the wrong decision.

“We can’t see how this would benefit, we haven’t been assured what the benefits are, if there is any other than taking tax away from the treasury.”

Unite said it has been concerned that trusts are forming wholly owned subsidiary companies in England so that they can register for VAT exemption and compete on a level playing field with commercial competitors who register for VAT exemption for their work in the NHS, when NHS trusts can’t.

A spokesperson for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s board of directors has previously approved the establishment of a LLP for estates and facilities, which has now been registered.

“The LLP is wholly owned by the NHS, as staff have told us that this is important to them. In recognition of this, the company name is York Teaching Hospital Facilities Management to mirror the name of the trust and to underline the importance of keeping estates and facilities staff as part of the NHS and part of the trust family.

“Staff moving to the new organisation on October 1, will keep their current NHS terms and conditions.”