
York and Scarborough NHS Trust Chief Executive Simon Morritt says he's hopeful of reaching an agreement with striking biomedical scientists at Scarborough and York hospitals.
Four days of industrial action have taken place at the hospitals. Morritt said the Trust is working constructively with ACAS to resolve the issues that have led to the strikes:
The primary issue relates to blood sciences in Scarborough, with a couple of additional concerns on the York side. While no further strike dates have been set, Morritt expressed optimism about finding a resolution, suggesting potential solutions including collaborating with staff to implement measures that would alleviate workload pressures, particularly at the Scarborough site.
This statement comes after Unite members, including microbiologists at York Hospital and blood scientists at Scarborough & Bridlington Hospital, voted to strike on September 30th, October 7th, and October 11th, 2024.
The union states that the strikes are a result of unsustainable workloads that are putting patient safety at risk. They claim that the closure of a biomedical laboratory at Scarborough Hospital two years ago has intensified pressure on remaining units within the trust.
Unite argues that despite repeated requests for more staff, training, and capacity building, the trust has not addressed the issue, leading to concerns among staff that patient safety is being compromised.
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