Biomedical scientists in Yorkshire to strike over unsustainable workloads

Unite members in York and Scarborough hospitals to walkout over fears about patient safety

Biomedical scientists at hospitals in York and Scarborough are to take strike action this autumn in protest over unsustainable workloads that are putting patient safety at risk. Microbiologists at York Hospital and blood scientists at Scarborough & Bridlington Hospital, both part of the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, have been forced to continually deal with workloads far beyond safe levels.  

Following a successful ballot, they will be taking strike action on 30 September, 7 October and 11 October 2024. 

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It is a disgrace that the York and Scarborough Trust is risking the safety of patients. Our members have been forced to take this action as a last resort to highlight the unsustainable workloads they are forced to undertake. “They will have the full backing of their union in this fight not only for their own workplace conditions but to improve patient safety in Yorkshire.” 

Two years ago, a biomedical laboratory was closed at Scarborough Hospital which has led to increased pressure on other units within the trust. Despite continual pleas from staff for additional recruitment, training and capacity building, the trust has ignored the issue. Staff are now so overworked that they are concerned that patient safety is at risk. 

A Unite member, working as a biomedical scientist at the trust spoke out about the situation: "Staff have consistently been treated with contempt by the management team. The dehumanisation and lack of care for the team, including unprofessional threats to force staff to work outside of existing contracts and well above all reasonable expectations, has led to chronic understaffing and failure to retain trained staff.  The staff turnover figures speak for themselves on that front. "Staff have been pushed far beyond reasonable expectations and voting with their feet. The service has been led into crisis by the current microbiology leadership and the hospital and trust leadership has condoned this." 

Unite has approximately 60 members who conduct vital scientific testing on blood and other human matter for thousands of patients across the trust. Strike action is likely to see all but essential testing cancelled and delays to non-urgent treatments. 

Unite regional officer Chris Daly said: “Our members regularly report having to cope with workloads that are completely unmanageable. Instead of recruiting more staff, the trust have closed laboratories and have overseen an exodus of highly trained senior scientists. This cannot be allowed to continue.”