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| Unions discuss NHS supply strike | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Union leaders are meeting to plan what could be the first national strike in the health service for 18 years. | Union leaders are meeting to plan what could be the first national strike in the health service for 18 years. |
| Unison is expected to announce when workers at supply agency NHS Logistics will take action, with a one- or two-day strike thought most likely. | Unison is expected to announce when workers at supply agency NHS Logistics will take action, with a one- or two-day strike thought most likely. |
| The protest, over the sell-off of the network to German firm DHL, could lead to English hospitals running short of vital equipment. | The protest, over the sell-off of the network to German firm DHL, could lead to English hospitals running short of vital equipment. |
| But the government said it believed any impact would be limited. | But the government said it believed any impact would be limited. |
| Around 900 staff were balloted by Unison and of the 66% who voted, 74% backed a strike. | |
| There is no justification for this at all, it will lead to a poorer service Unison | There is no justification for this at all, it will lead to a poorer service Unison |
| Hospitals will get seven days' notice of the strike but they have to order equipment three days ahead and have limited space to store stockpiles. | Hospitals will get seven days' notice of the strike but they have to order equipment three days ahead and have limited space to store stockpiles. |
| NHS Logistics supplies 48,000 lines of products, including bedpans, latex gloves, syringes, bandages, medical equipment and food. | NHS Logistics supplies 48,000 lines of products, including bedpans, latex gloves, syringes, bandages, medical equipment and food. |
| The new contract kicks in on October 1, so the industrial action is likely to take place in the last week of September. | The new contract kicks in on October 1, so the industrial action is likely to take place in the last week of September. |
| The meeting is being held on Friday afternoon in Alfreton, Derbyshire - the site of one of the agency's five depots. | The meeting is being held on Friday afternoon in Alfreton, Derbyshire - the site of one of the agency's five depots. |
| The union's head of health, Karen Jennings, said the strike could be followed be a "rolling programme of industrial action". | |
| She said Unison also had proceedings issued for a judicial review this month. | |
| "We're taking every avenue, every process possible to try and stop what we think is a very destructive move by this government." | |
| The government believes the DHL deal will help save £1bn over 10 years. | The government believes the DHL deal will help save £1bn over 10 years. |
| But a Unison spokeswoman said it was opposing the move as it was another sign of "creeping NHS privatisation". | But a Unison spokeswoman said it was opposing the move as it was another sign of "creeping NHS privatisation". |
| "There is no justification for this at all - it will lead to a poorer service. The government's decision to privatise it is driven by pure dogma," she said. | "There is no justification for this at all - it will lead to a poorer service. The government's decision to privatise it is driven by pure dogma," she said. |
| The union said it expected any action to hit the supply of goods to hospitals, but added it had agreed emergency plans to cover life-saving equipment. | The union said it expected any action to hit the supply of goods to hospitals, but added it had agreed emergency plans to cover life-saving equipment. |
| The Department of Health said most hospitals also had their own supply and delivery arrangements and would be able to "cope with demand". | The Department of Health said most hospitals also had their own supply and delivery arrangements and would be able to "cope with demand". |