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| HES: Clinical waste firm staff made redundant | HES: Clinical waste firm staff made redundant |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Workers at a troubled clinical waste firm in North Lanarkshire have been handed redundancy notices. | Workers at a troubled clinical waste firm in North Lanarkshire have been handed redundancy notices. |
| Healthcare Environmental Services (HES) told staff they were being made redundant with "immediate effect". | |
| In a letter given to employees, managing director Garry Pettigrew said it was due to circumstances "outwith our control". | |
| About 150 people are employed at the firm's base in Shotts, and almost 400 at depots throughout the UK. | About 150 people are employed at the firm's base in Shotts, and almost 400 at depots throughout the UK. |
| Employees had earlier been sent text messages warning them they might not be paid this week, with HES claiming its bank had refused to release funds. | Employees had earlier been sent text messages warning them they might not be paid this week, with HES claiming its bank had refused to release funds. |
| They were then called to meetings on Thursday morning, where they were handed redundancy notices. | They were then called to meetings on Thursday morning, where they were handed redundancy notices. |
| The letter said: "I write to you to inform you that your position in the company will be made redundant with immediate effect. | The letter said: "I write to you to inform you that your position in the company will be made redundant with immediate effect. |
| "I apologise that there have been no previous consultations on this matter, however there are unforeseen circumstances that have proven to be outwith our control". | "I apologise that there have been no previous consultations on this matter, however there are unforeseen circumstances that have proven to be outwith our control". |
| The company has responsibility for disposing of clinical waste from every hospital, GP's surgery, dental practice and pharmacy in Scotland. | The company has responsibility for disposing of clinical waste from every hospital, GP's surgery, dental practice and pharmacy in Scotland. |
| But it lost 17 contracts with NHS trusts in England earlier this year as a criminal inquiry was launched into a build up of waste at some of its depots. | But it lost 17 contracts with NHS trusts in England earlier this year as a criminal inquiry was launched into a build up of waste at some of its depots. |
| HES has claimed its reputation was destroyed by the UK government, and said a shortage of incinerators rather than its actions was to blame for the problems. | HES has claimed its reputation was destroyed by the UK government, and said a shortage of incinerators rather than its actions was to blame for the problems. |
| Earlier this month the firm was also informed it would lose its NHS Scotland contract in April of next year, and subsequently said sits banking facilities had been cut off. | Earlier this month the firm was also informed it would lose its NHS Scotland contract in April of next year, and subsequently said sits banking facilities had been cut off. |
| Ahead of Thursday's meetings, one staff member told BBC Scotland: "We are supposed to be paid on Friday 28 December. Some of the drivers have been told not to come to work for their runs this week. | Ahead of Thursday's meetings, one staff member told BBC Scotland: "We are supposed to be paid on Friday 28 December. Some of the drivers have been told not to come to work for their runs this week. |
| "I think we will be told it's over." | "I think we will be told it's over." |
| He also said the Shotts facility was "full of pallets of waste", some of which had been there for more than three weeks, and added: "There are containers positioned outside the gates so that no one can get in." | He also said the Shotts facility was "full of pallets of waste", some of which had been there for more than three weeks, and added: "There are containers positioned outside the gates so that no one can get in." |
| The firm said it had made repeated requests for an urgent meeting with NHS Scotland "to ensure continuation of the service" but it had not received a response. | The firm said it had made repeated requests for an urgent meeting with NHS Scotland "to ensure continuation of the service" but it had not received a response. |
| On 12 December National Services Scotland (NSS) said it had taken responsibility for waste from every hospital, GP surgery, dental practice and pharmacy to cope with a potential backlog of clinical waste after HSE withdrew its service. | On 12 December National Services Scotland (NSS) said it had taken responsibility for waste from every hospital, GP surgery, dental practice and pharmacy to cope with a potential backlog of clinical waste after HSE withdrew its service. |
| The BBC has approached HES for a comment. | The BBC has approached HES for a comment. |