Healthcare assistants protest outside Royal Bolton Hospital over pay

Healthcare Assistants (HCAs) gathered outside the hospital before seeking to present their concerns directly to trust leaders.

While plans to march on the trust’s board offices were deemed a health and safety risk, protesters were met by Chief Nurse Tyrone Roberts, who came out to listen to their concerns.

The dispute centres on claims that many HCAs employed on Band two contracts are routinely carrying out duties associated with the higher-paid Band three role without receiving the corresponding pay.

Unison branch organiser Ryan Quick said similar campaigns had already been successful at NHS trusts across the North West.

He said: “Lots of the HCAs at Bolton Hospital are Band Two but they’re expected to do Band Three duties and they’re not paid for it, that’s not been recognised for a long time.

“Across the North West there’s about 17 trusts that we’ve ran this campaign in and it’s been successful.

“We’ve recently just signed with Lancashire Teaching Hospitals to agree to back pay since 2018 and that all HCAs at Band 2 would be upgraded to the top of Band 3 because ultimately that’s the job that they’re doing.

“If they’re expected to do it then they should be paid to do it, it’s only fair.”

Mr Quick warned that while staff had chosen to protest rather than strike, further action could follow if an agreement cannot be reached.

He added: “They have to agree to it, otherwise the potential is that this escalates, which we don’t want to do, but it might escalate which would include industrial action.”

Staff gathered in their uniforms as they came out on breaks, while others came to the hospital in their non-working hours to join the march.

Healthcare Assistant Kiana Ogunewu-Symonds said she joined the protest because she believes HCAs are not being fairly recognised for the work they do.

Kiana Ogunewu-Symonds (middle) said she joined the protest to demand better pay (Image: NQ)

She said: “I’ve decided to come out because I feel like we’re not treated fairly in terms of our job role and the pay.

“We are the closest to the patients that need us the most.

“Some of these patients are dying, some of these are in a very vulnerable position and we are the ones, the HCAs, that are closest, that do the personal care, that do the feeds, that need to look after these patients.

“This is why I’m here today, to fight not only for me, but for the patients to get the best care that they are able to get.”

Protesters claim Bolton NHS Foundation Trust is now the remaining trust involved in the North West campaign that has not yet agreed to regrade affected HCAs or provide backdated pay to 2018.

The group gathered opposite the main entrance where they were met by Chief Nurse Tyrone Roberts (Image: NQ)

Responding to the concerns, James Mawrey, Chief People Officer and Deputy Chief Executive at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said healthcare assistants play a vital role across the organisation and that discussions would continue with staff and union representatives.

He said: “Our Healthcare Assistants are a vital and valued part of our workforce, delivering outstanding personal care for patients and service users in hospital and across our communities every single day.

“We recognise that some Healthcare Assistants have concerns about pay arrangements and we are committed to listening to those concerns and engaging in constructive discussions with staff and their representatives.”

Both sides of the dispute say they remain engaged in discussions over the issue.