Healthcare assistants hold protest rally in Sunderland over being 'expected' to carry out clinical duties they're not being paid for

More than 100 healthcare assistants gathered outside of Sunderland Royal Hospital in a dispute over pay and duties including they claim being asked to carryout tasks including electrocardiograms (ECGs) and resuscitations, which they say is not part of their contracts.

Workers from South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) who were at the rally are on salary band 2 but say they are now "expected" to carryout the tasks of band 3 healthcare assistants who are paid around £2,000 per year more.

Healthcare assistant, Sarah Birrell, 51, who has worked for STSFT for 32 years, said: "When I signed my contract, the expectations in my terms and conditions was washing, dressing and bathing patients.

"Now I'm being asked to fit cannulas and catheters, perform electrocardiogram tests, monitor blood and perform resuscitations. "You don't mind doing that bit extra from time to time, but there is now a daily expectation for us to carry out these tasks, even though it is not part of our pay band, which is currently minimum wage.

"Band 3 is around £2,000 per year more but it is more about being recognised for the work we do and to be paid correctly."

A key area of the dispute with STSFT is over backpay for the years that healthcare workers say they have been having to undertake these higher band duties.

Sarah added: "We have been carrying out these duties more and more for the last 20 years but we are only asking for five years of back pay.

"It's all about being paid fairly for what you do."

The campaign is being supported by Unison, the main workers' union for healthcare workers.

Regional secretary Clare Williams said: "Healthcare staff have been patient but are now at the point where they need to be paid at the correct rate.

"We understand the NHS is under immense pressure and workers may occasionally be asked to undertake additional tasks. However, there is now just a routine expectation that they undertake daily tasks which are not part of their band 2 expectations."

UNISON says other NHS trusts around the UK have already moved healthcare assistants up to the correct salary band and agreed deals on back pay.

Mrs Williams also confirmed that workers are being balloted on the threat of industrial action if STSFT fail to "pay them fairly".

She added: “The decision to protest is not an easy one, but staff need the trust to understand how undervalued they feel. 

“Healthcare assistants want to have their voices heard. If the trust continues to refuse to pay them fairly then they will be left with little option but to consider strike action.

"It's all about staff being properly valued and paid correctly for the work they are doing.

"We have seen some progress but not sufficient for what staff want. We would urge the trust to sit down and negotiate a period of backpay and to pay healthcare workers in an appropriate way." Responding to the situation a spokesperson for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are already in active discussions with Unison about this and had a productive meeting only last week. 

"We want to reassure our healthcare assistant colleagues that our priority is to conclude these talks as quickly as we can and in the very best interests of all our healthcare assistant colleagues. 

"As soon as we can update staff we will do so directly.  We recognise and appreciate the huge contribution that our healthcare assistants make to patient care and they are a vital and much valued part of our workforce."