The union which represents domestics and porters at Ashludie Hospital has hit out at their ”abysmal” treatment by NHS Tayside.
The health board’s chief operating officer Lesley McLay had guaranteed staff members’ jobs when the Monifieth hospital’s last patients transfer to other facilities this summer.
However, a source at Ashludie has claimed the nursing and medical staff have received preferential treatment and been kept better informed than the support services.
The woman, who refused to be named for fear of reprisals, said: ”They never even told us (support services staff) directly. To be treated like this is horrendous. There is over 360 years’ service between the 21 dedicated support services staff involved but this seems to count for nothing.”
Nursing staff will be transferred with their patients but so far only five of the 21 auxiliary staff know where they will be after the transfers.
”There are staff starting to go off sick with stress,” the source said. ”A lot of these girls live in Carnoustie and don’t drive. They are saying they might put us into the kitchens at Ninewells.”
The woman claimed the first support services staff knew about the imminent closure of ward seven at Ashludie was when they saw a removal van parking up at the hospital.
The elderly dementia patients from that ward will be transferred to ward 18 at Liff Hospital by the end of the week leaving only wards one and three which are separate from the main building operational. Those wards are due to transfer to ward six at the Royal Victoria in the summer.
The source said: ”The main building is getting emptied and we are under huge pressure to get everything out, including confidential waste. It’s disgraceful we haven’t been told anything.”
Colin Coupar, regional officer of Unite, the union that represents the support services staff, said that although the employees would still have jobs their treatment by NHS Tayside showed a disregard to normal working practice.
”The way this has been handled has been abysmal,” he said. ”All the nursing and medical staff have been informed and jobs have been found. Not telling support service (until recently) frankly smacks of class discrimination.”
Mr Coupar said the board had failed to realise the effect moving workplace could have on low-income staff.
He said: ”They haven’t taken into account the support service who are in the lower pay scales. It could cost them excess travel.
”I haven’t worked out who in management is responsible for this blatant disregard for working decency but when I do I will have something more to say. It’s absolute snobbery.”
NHS Tayside director of operations Kenneth Armstrong said all staff were informed of the future of support services at Ashludie at a meeting on March 13.
He said: ”Arrangements are in place to relocate five support services staff from the main building at Ashludie to other positions in NHS Tayside. The remaining 16 will stay at Ashludie to provide services to wards one and three.
”These relocations are being done in accordance with NHS Tayside policies and in agreement with the staff members themselves and staff side representatives. We have already been in discussions with staff and are working to agree positions for those who are moving.”
He stressed the health board has a no compulsory redundancy policy and earnings are protected under the terms of its employment policies. He added if relocation results in staff incurring increased travel costs, they will be able to make a travel claim and be reimbursed.