A councillor has condemned proposals to transfer hundreds of NHS ‘bank’ staff across Bath and North East Somerset and Wiltshire to a private company, labeling the plan as “not acceptable.”
The Royal United Hospital in Bath, along with Salisbury NHS Trust and Swindon’s Great Western Hospital NHS Trust, which collectively operate as the BSW Hospitals Group, intends to move these temporary staff to Pulse — a private workforce provider — starting August 1. Robin Moss, leader of the opposition Labour group at Bath & North East Somerset Council, expressed strong concerns and confirmed that Labour councillors have formally raised the issue with Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
Moss criticized the move, stating, “It is unacceptable to degrade the pay and conditions of part-time staff, many of whom are women. There remains a lack of transparency about the decision-making process and consultations, bringing the legitimacy of the plan into question.”
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While the plan assures that pay rates will remain unchanged, the transfer affects employment conditions since the staff are not protected by TUPE regulations in moving to Pulse. These ‘bank’ workers, who fill in shifts to cover absences or increased demand, risk significant losses in pension benefits. Currently, NHS pension contributions stand at 23.7%, but under Pulse, employer pension contributions drop to just 6%, potentially costing some workers thousands in retirement savings. Notably, two-fifths of these staff do not have regular full-time NHS contracts.
Moss added, “How can staff morale not suffer if their terms are diminished? How does this improve patient care? The decision to privatise part of the NHS service comes without adequate public explanation or involvement.”
The three trusts assert they have complied with legal consultation requirements and maintain they were not obligated to consult the local authority. However, they admitted communication could have been better. The transfer plan only came to light during an April health scrutiny committee meeting after concerns were raised by a Unison representative and a former RUH governor.
The NHS integrated care board overseeing the Bath and Wiltshire area was only informed on the morning of the meeting by RUH. Committee chair Dine Romero has since requested additional details from the trusts and plans to write to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to press for answers.
A BSW Hospitals Group spokesperson said: “Throughout this outsourcing process, we engaged with staff-side trade unions and employees in line with statutory obligations, providing multiple opportunities for input. In hindsight, we acknowledge that communication with the local authority could have been more effective.
We remain committed to supporting affected workers through the transition and encourage bank staff to apply for permanent roles as they arise.”