Nottingham University Hospitals Trust have outraged trade unions and campaigners by outsourcing parts of their finance department in the desperate effort to cut spending. The Trust faces a £104m deficit as the inadequate NHS budget has come under pressure.
In total, 84 staff, many of whom have been loyal employees for up to 35 years, have had their jobs put at risk. At least sixteen of them have opted for redundancy rather than move to Leeds. The payroll and pensions services were the first to be officially transferred on October 1 to SBS (Shared Business Services), the part-privatised NHS arms-length body hooked up with French multinational Sopra Steria.
UNISON fears many more will be made redundant as other services are handed over next April, with nobody feeling safe. And they warn that there could be serious problems for the Trust if the new contractor fails to keep on top of the many complexities of administering the finances, and keeping supplies flowing.
A protest march by staff to the public Trust board meeting on September 7 handed over a petition of more than 2,000 signatures opposing the move, and calling on the Trust to reverse its decision.
Full story in the Lowdown, 31st October 2024
