Alison Hume, the MP for Scarborough and Whitby, has been urged to support biomedical scientists at Scarborough Hospital who taking strike action over "unsustainable workloads".
The call for support came from Scarborough Councillor Rich Moore, who raised the issue at a meeting on Thursday. Councillor Moore highlighted the concerns of the biomedical scientists, who argue that their workloads are jeopardising patient safety. They allege that the closure of a biomedical laboratory at Scarborough Hospital two years ago has exacerbated the situation.
Councillor Moore specifically asked MP Alison Hume to publicly support the striking workers and to urge York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to reconsider their decision to close the laboratory.
In response, Ms. Hume stated that she would be "happy" to meet with the affected workers and that she would call on the Trust to review their decision.
This news comes as the second of three strikes takes place today at York and Scarborough hospitals. Unite members at the hospitals voted to strike over concerns about patient safety, stating that they are consistently being forced to deal with unsafe workloads.
According to Unite, approximately 60 of their members at the Trust conduct "vital scientific testing on blood and other human matter" for thousands of patients. The union has warned that the strike action will likely result in the cancellation of all but essential testing and delays to non-urgent treatments.
A Unite member working as a biomedical scientist at the trust, who wished to remain anonymous, said:
"Staff have consistently been treated with contempt by the management team... The service has been led into crisis by the current microbiology leadership and the hospital and the trust leadership has condoned this."
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham stated:
"It is a disgrace that the York and Scarborough Trust is risking the safety of patients. Our members have been forced to take this action as a last resort to highlight the unsustainable workloads they are forced to undertake...They will have the full backing of their union in this fight not only for their own workplace conditions but to improve patient safety in Yorkshire."
A spokesperson for York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said that they have plans in place to deal with service disruptions and are working to
"ensure we continue to provide safe care for our patients during any period of industrial action".
The Trust also stated that they would be prioritising urgent samples during the strike days but apologised to patients who may experience delays.
Fears Over East Riding Maintained Schools Deficit
North Yorkshire Fire Service Battles False Alarm Menace
Filey MP Still Expects A64 Funding Decision This Year
Commonwealth Medallist In Scarborough For Special Gala
Seadogs Held In Warwickshire By Play Off Rivals
Blues Beaten Again By Lower Opposition
Pikes Make it Three Without Defeat as Sanyang Strikes
Hat-Trick of Victories For Yorkshire Coast Rugby Sides
Family Appeal to Find Missing Malton Woman Victoria Taylor
East Riding Councillors Work Together To Promote Fostering
Scarborough and Whitby MP Defends Winter Fuel Allowance Vote
Doubts About When Scarborough Will See £20m of Government Funding
Comments
Add a comment