Operating theatre staff in Beds could strike over overtime pay changes

Operating theatre staff in Bedfordshire hospitals are preparing for potential strike action after voting unanimously against changes to their overtime pay, according to UNISON.

The decision follows the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust's move to cease time-and-a-half overtime payments for workers exceeding their 37.5-hour weekly contracts earlier this year.

Under the new arrangements, staff must book additional shifts through the Trust's ‘bank’ system, receiving standard pay rates for extra hours worked.

As a result, experienced nurses and operating department practitioners are losing approximately £120 per shift.

UNISON warns that the reduction in pay could exacerbate staffing issues and lead to increased cancellation of operations.

Strike dates are likely to be revealed soon unless the Trust reintroduces the previous overtime rates, which would prevent industrial action entirely, the union stated.

Staff reactions and union statements

UNISON Eastern head of health, Caroline Hennessy, commented on the situation:

“The NHS is under huge financial pressure at the moment, but bosses shouldn’t go looking in theatre staff’s pockets to make their savings."

“This unanimous vote for strikes shows exactly how upset workers are at this raid on their wages."

“There’s still time to avoid strikes — the Trust just has to bring back the overtime rates that workers were paid already.”

Elaine Inacio, a senior theatre assistant at Bedford Hospital, added her perspective:

“Staff aren’t asking for anything extra, just the pay we were on before."

“It’s already stressful enough working in operating theatres, but morale has absolutely plummeted since this pay cut."

“Nobody wants to go on strike, but we’ve been left with no choice.”

Trust's response and future steps

A spokesperson for Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust addressed the concerns raised by staff and unions:

“We value our theatre teams enormously and fully recognise the skill, commitment and pressure involved in their roles."

"We are sorry that some colleagues feel distressed by the recent changes, and we are continuing to meet with staff and trade union representatives to listen to their concerns."

"Earlier this year, the Trust standardised overtime and additional hours payments for theatre staff so that all colleagues are paid consistently and in line with national NHS Agenda for Change arrangements."

“These changes were introduced to ensure fairness across our workforce, to bring legacy local arrangements in line with Trust wide standards, and to support the long-term sustainability of our services."

"We remain committed to working constructively with UNISON and our theatre teams, and we hope to avoid any industrial action."

The Trust emphasised its priority to maintain safe, high-quality patient care while supporting its staff as much as possible.

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