ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Outsourced hospital workers are protesting against planned cuts that would lead to cleaners having to hand out food to patients.

Staff for Mitie demonstrated outside St George's Hospital, Tooting earlier last month demanding that the plans be halted.

"Our members are unequivocally opposed to these dangerous cutbacks that put the welfare of the workforce, the patients and the public at risk," said GMB union organiser Helen O'Connor.

"We have expressed our grave concerns about the health and safety implications of having hospital cleaners handling food as well."

The changes to working practices would also lead to 40 job losses. "If those 40 jobs are gone, the hospital is not going to reduce its size - it will lead to the same amount of work for fewer people," said union representative John Inokoba.

"People working in high-risk areas will have to move between these areas - possibly transporting infection with them. And if cleaners are handing food to patients, this could be unsafe. It's not just our members we are concerned with: it will also affect the nurses and the patients."

A Mitie spokesman said the company was investing in the latest technology, staff recognition and development systems in order to ensure service excellence.

"The proposed changes to operating models reflect current benchmarks and NHS expectations," he said. "The consultation is ongoing and we continue to work closely with both our client and the union."

However, Helen O'Connor said her union members were "up for a fight" and were willing to ballot for industrial action if their demands were not met.