Consultative ballot open for Wexham Park Radiographers
Stakes rise as radiographers at Wexham Park Hospital vote to protect NHS service provision
Members of GMB, the union at NHS Frimley Health Foundation Trust, are voting in a consultative ballot in a dispute against the outsourcing of radiology services.
The proposed contractor, InHealth, already provide some Diagnostic and Imaging Services to the NHS and run contracts worth over £300 million per year.
The union members are employed as Radiographers, Radiology Assistants and associated support staff at Wexham Park Hospital near Slough.
A grievance has previously been submitted to the Trust’s Chief Executive Lance McCarthy and Chairman Bryan Ingleby, with a formal meeting date to discuss concerns yet to be scheduled.
The ballot opened on Friday and remains open until Friday 27 September and may lead to a formal industrial action ballot, pending the result.
Gary Palmer, GMB Regional Organiser said:
“GMB submitted a grievance on behalf of its members, along with a business case against outsourcing, weeks ago and all we have received to now is a series of holding letters.
“It seems for all the world that the Trust aren’t taking our members’ concerns seriously.
“Fortunately for our members, GMB is well versed with fighting against privatisation at FHFT, having successfully organised against Trust plans to create a Wholly Owned Subsidiary, and we will bring all that expertise once again to defend NHS retention of MRI services and its staff.
“Profiteering from the NHS is always wrong and especially clinical services, and in this case InHealth are taking the most profitable bits of NHS radiology services.
“This means huge amounts of money will be lost from the NHS and straight into shareholders and private pockets, when it should be being re-invested back into running and improving the department and trust.”
Media Enquiries: Gary Palmer on 07552165950
