Public service union UNISON has today revealed the contents of documents showing the Yeovil Hospital Simply Serve decision.
The document details the decision made in a closed session of the Hospital Board’s meeting to transfer 360 staff out of the NHS into a subsidiary company.
UNISON has also gained a copy of the business case for Simply Serve after submitting a freedom of information request. Yeovil District Hospital missed the deadline to respond to the FoI, meaning the documents have only come to light after the decision has been made by the Board.
YDH informed UNISON on 20 December but informed the BBC that the decision would not be made public until 27 December
UNISON South West head of health Helen Eccles said:
“NHS staff sent a clear message to Yeovil Hospital’s board on Wednesday. Over a third of the workforce – 772 staff – have signed a petition calling on the Trust to pause the Simply Serve decision and consult properly. Suggestions from senior board members that staff didn’t know what they were signing are an insult to health workers.
“Let’s get the facts straight. YDH claim they consulted for five months – wrong. Staff were not informed of the plan until October and key documents were provided after the Simply Serve decision had been made.
“YDH claim there was little response to their proposals. In fact, UNISON and the RCN sent a significant volume of feedback, which the Trust has not recorded.
“And HR told the Trust Board that staff were not concerned by the subco proposal. The reality is that over a third of the workforce has signed UNISON’s petition calling for the plan to be paused.
“Senior management can use the Christmas period to look over their plans and reconsider whether this is the right way forward. UNISON is ready to work with them but we need open processes, not more secret meetings and confidential documents.
“Staff at Yeovil hospital face an uncertain Christmas. But they can be confident that the way to protect the NHS is to join their trade union and speak with one voice.”
