Last Christmas

Unite members are part of the backbone of society. Never more so than in the festive period when thousands will help maintain the essential gas, electricity, water, social care and health sectors. It is thanks to these workers’ efforts that everyone else can – health permitting – enjoy themselves.

Among the most dedicated Unite members must be those in the NHS. Possibly few more so than those who work with patients in palliative and end of life care such as at Bridlington Hospital’s Macmillan ward.

Staff there are determined to provide as good a Christmas for their patients as possible. Yet living under a Tory government that knows the ‘Price of everything and the value of nothing’ their efforts are being rewarded next year by a transfer into the private sector, a move that threatens their terms and conditions, job security and the services they provide.

In January, healthcare assistant Melanie Williamson will have worked in the NHS for 18 years, seven on the Macmillan Ward. Last year she had her first Christmas break in years. “I’d like to be off again as it was great. But the majority of patients can’t just leave and even those able to take a home break require assistance to be discharged.

“My job includes serving meals and helping patients get up and dressed. I also assist the physiotherapists as the ward intake includes rehabilitation patients, some of whom do not have any relatives or none that can visit as they don’t have private transport. These patients can be especially lonely at Christmas.

“I help patients through their end of life process and also work closely, communicate with and support their family members and friends. Many tell you they have appreciated your care and efforts.

Real privilege

“You find patients recall something that they would never tell their family. It is a real privilege to be looking after them in the most personal, sometimes desperate time of their lives. You do the most intimate things for people. Some patients get very upset as they come to the very end of life and all of us in the Macmillan ward combine to provide spiritual support on this journey.”

Melanie, like most of those employed in the Macmillan ward, including staff nurse Kathryn Shepherdson, is a Unite member. Both women respond exactly the same when asked why stating “for support and back up when things are maybe not going your way” with Kathryn adding “because it ensures your rights are protected and Unite makes you aware of what you’re entitled to.”

The staff working on the Bridlington Macmillan ward face an uncertain future. Firstly, the ward is under threat of being transferred by the East Riding Clinical Commissioning Group to Beverley and/or Goole hospitals. Secondly, their employer, the Humber NHS Foundation Trust, has lost the community services contract to private company City Health Trust. This means Macmillan staff will no longer be working, probably from 1 April 2017, for the NHS and it is another demonstration of the continuing privatisation of the health service by this government.

All of which is a devastating blow for staff, patients and the local community. According to Unite regional officer Malcolm Hancock, “None of our members are looking forward to these changes. Staff are concerned about whether their terms and conditions will get worse and are worried whether their new employer will accept continued payments into the NHS pension scheme that they’ve paid into for many years. The union is trying to find out what is being planned and will be negotiating the best deal possible.

“Everyone is disappointed that they won’t be continuing to work for the NHS and to which they have been very dedicated. They’re going to be working over Christmas, it’s more than a job and they’re truly committed to looking after the patients.

“Every Unite member at Bridlington is very concerned that some of the services they provide in the public sector may suffer once they move into the private sector, which is, of course, set up to make a profit. This will only be achieved by cutting back on the wage bill, meaning less staff, and/or on the quality of materials used. It is a very upsetting situation that such dedicated workers find themselves facing.”

Pictured are Melanie Williamson, Jill Peeke (healthcare assistant) and Malcolm Hancock (regional officer). By Mark Harvey