NHS workers have threatened industrial action over fears that their department could be privatised at a hospital in Slough.
Members of GMB, the union for the NHS, have submitted a grievance against their employer in opposition to potential plans to outsource their department.
The union members work at the diagnostics unit at Wexham Park Hospital, which is run by Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust (FHFT).
The unit helps patients by testing to discover illnesses to find effective treatments.
The Trust attempted to privatise all non-clinical services into a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary (WOS) in 2018, but these plans were shelved after a campaign of industrial action carried out by GMB members.
The health workers have now laid out that there is a legitimate business case against privatisation and that they reserve the right to ask their union to ballot them for industrial action.
Gary Palmer, a GMB regional organiser said: “We’ve been here before with this Trust, where they tried to outsource all non-clinical services so they could pay some directors a higher wage.
“GMB members stopped those plans getting off the ground and these members are determined to remain in the NHS family as well.
“I understand the chief executive has only been in post for a week or so, so hopefully he can start his tenure by creating a sensible working relationship with the main union within FHFT.
“If the employer does not listen to the concerns outlined by staff in the grievance, our members have proved before that they are prepared to take action to show their strength of feeling.”
Lance McCarthy became the new chief executive of FHFT on Tuesday, August 20, after it was announced that he would be taking over in March.
The possibility of industrial action comes as the Trust hopes to open a new diagnostic centre at the Upton Hospital site in Albert Street, Slough.
A spokesperson for the Trust has categorically denied that employment or working arrangements will change for diagnostics staff.
The spokesperson said: “The Trust will be commissioning an external provider to deliver a new, additional MRI service when Slough Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) opens in 2025.
“This CDC service will be in addition to the MRI service offered at Wexham Park and Heatherwood Hospitals.
“This new contract will therefore not change the employment or working arrangements for staff working in those hospitals.
“Once opened the CDC will allow patients to access planned diagnostic care nearer to home without the need to attend acute hospital sites, enhancing local health and supporting our longer-term strategy of reducing pressure and improving services at our main hospitals.”
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