Staff at Gosport hospital owed '˜around £40,000' in missing pay

HOSPITAL staff say they are owed thousands of pounds by their employer '“ who is refusing to pay up.
Gosport War Memorial Hospital. Picture: Chris Ison/PA WireGosport War Memorial Hospital. Picture: Chris Ison/PA Wire
Gosport War Memorial Hospital. Picture: Chris Ison/PA Wire

Porters and domestic staff at Gosport War Memorial Hospital, employed by Compass Medirest, claim that around £40,000 is owed to them as part of the NHS Agenda for Change.

The Agenda For Change is the national pay system for all NHS staff. Following a payrise of 92p under the Agenda For Change in April 2018 '“ which would put the staff into band two '“ the staff have not yet received a penny.

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But while Compass Medirest says that the group of staff is not part of the Agenda for Change, they insist that they have been eligible '“ and been on the pay system '“ since 2005.

Porters and domestic staff say the pay has been missing since April 2018. Picture: Chris Ison/PA WirePorters and domestic staff say the pay has been missing since April 2018. Picture: Chris Ison/PA Wire
Porters and domestic staff say the pay has been missing since April 2018. Picture: Chris Ison/PA Wire

Yvonne Caswell, 69, is one of the staff members who have been affected.

She has also written to health secretary Matt Hancock about the issue, asking for his support.

She said: '˜We just want what is owed to us.

'˜I cannot believe Compass Medirest has disputed the fact that they owe us this money.

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'˜We have never had problems with a pay rise before, and the nurses got their pay rise in July, but we haven't seen a single penny.

'˜It was put off each month, until we were eventually told that staff on an old contract are not eligible for this money '“ which is not true.'

She says there are 20 staff members at the War Memorial Hospital on this old contract '“ many of whom are with the trade union, Unison.

A spokesperson for Compass Medirest said: '˜Employees that are on Agenda for Change contracts have received this pay award.

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'˜However in this case, some of our porters and domestic employees who transferred to our employment in 2015 are on existing contracts which were not part of Agenda for Change, and therefore were not eligible to receive this pay award.

'˜We remain in ongoing dialogue with these employees and the unions and are keen to continue discussions with them to resolve these concerns.'

But Mrs Caswell, of Gosport, who has worked at the hospital for 17 years, says that this response is not acceptable '“ as all NHS staff are on the Agenda for Change.

She said: '˜This has made people here very angry '“ they are trying to withhold our money but have no reason to do so.

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'˜Staff elsewhere across the UK have gone on strike over this missing pay, so it's not just us who have been affected.

'˜We don't want to go on strike because of how important the service we provide is to the hospital '“ but we can't ignore this any longer.

'˜They must think we haven't got much intelligence because of what we do, and so can do as they please; that's simply not the case.'

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage has agreed to meet some of the staff later this month.

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She said: '˜I was only made aware of this issue by one of the porters recently.

'˜I will be meeting with them on January 25 to ascertain the full details of their problem and see what can be done to help resolve this and ensure everyone is paid what they are entitled to.

'˜I'm keen to do what I can to support them.'