Minister gives assurances on Forth Valley workforce

Following a question to the Minister for Health, Cathy Peattie has received additional assurances that Forth Valley NHS workers will be protected by protocols agreed between the Scottish Executive and the STUC.

“At question time last week, following another member's reference to NHS soft furnishings, I took the opportunity to ask a supplementary about the application of the STUC protocol to the hundreds of workers affected by the award of the soft services provision for the new Larbert hospital to a private partner.

“Andy Kerr responded that the STUC protocol, which was pioneered here in Scotland, protects workers' employment and conditions, and that workers will be subject to NHS terms and conditions of employment.”

Cathy has now received further information. The Minister’s letter states: “The procurement process for the Forth Valley project at Larbert and indeed Clackmannanshire was conducted in line with the Protocol between Ministers and the STUC and also complied with the subsequent guidance issued to all public sector organisations in Scotland. In the Clackmannanshire procurement the in house bid was successful and at Larbert the 4 principles of the protocol were covered:

• communicating with and involving staff and local Partnership Forum throughout the decision making process prior to commencing the procurement, through its progress and in the final outcome. This was overseen by the Board's staff governance committee.

• Enabling an in-house bid

• before making a decision ensuring that transferring staff are protected through the application of TUPE and from securing pension arrangements that are broadly comparable. The Board engaged the Government's Actuary Department during the evaluation to ensure staff interests were covered.

• The private sector partner has also undertaken to ensure that once the hospital is operational any new staff employed will mirror the terms and conditions and pensions of existing members of staff so there is no risk of a two-tier workforce.”

“I was disappointed that the in-house bid was not successful, but that said, it is wrong to portray this as privatisation. The hospital and the NHS in Scotland remain public services under public control, and we are ensuring that workers retain their rights where there is private sector involvement.”

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