Supported Living Services in Sheffield and Doncaster

Sheffield Council has issued a competitive tender for Supported Living services including the Learning Disability service which has been provided by the NHS for nearly 40 years (not over 50 as previously stated). They want to 'stimulate the local market' in order to find cheaper solutions which avoid costly external placements. This follows dramatic overspending in 2013-14 which led to the suspension of the Head of Learning Disability Services.

If the NHS fails to win renewal of its contract, Unison estimate the loss to local NHS revenue of around £6m. Instead the contract would go to an organisation like Care UK, with possibly similar results to those in Doncaster. At the moment it is not even clear whether TUPE would apply. The Council has delegated the contracting decision to officers and Sheffield Unison is (belatedly) running a campaign against it.

So what is happening in Doncaster where Care UK workers are on strike?

Here is an extract from a UNISON BULLETIN: CARE UK DISPUTE, DONCASTER

"The above Dispute concerns a Supported Living Contract where Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council are the client, but the NHS has run the service on their behalf for many years. Regrettably last year, prior to the new Labour Mayor being elected, DMBC let the contract to Care UK. Late last year Care UK announced that they wished to change the terms and conditions of those employees who transferred with this contract, in some cases the changes mean a cut of 50% to their take home pay, by ending weekend and night working enhancements and Bank and Public holiday enhancements. It is clear that the employer intends to de-skill and dumb down the skill base enjoyed by the current staff and replace them with minimum wage carers, thereby reducing the quality of the service provided. Indeed evidence of this has been obtained from the local job centre where a care worker for this contract was recently advertised on a pay rate of £6.73 per hour for a 40 hour week, with no additions or enhancements for evening or weekend working or for bank or public holiday working and also no pension provision.

"In response to this UNISON have tried to negotiate with Care UK who refuse to change their position. This led our 150 members in Doncaster to request a ballot for industrial action, where over 90% of those voting, voted for a combination of strike action and action short of strike action. Our members have already had a period of 7 days strike action, followed by action short of strike action in the form of withdrawal of goodwill, working to contract, non-use of company or personal cars on business, etc. Our members also undertook a further 7 day period of strike action, commencing on Wednesday, 19 March 2014.

"Up until the beginning March, the employer had refused to negotiate with us and despite an approach from us to use ACAS, they had indicated that they were willing to use ACAS but had advised that they had nothing to offer.

"This changed and discussions were held under the auspices of ACAS, unfortunately the employer was only prepared to increase the protection offer by a mere two months which was completely unsatisfactory and the talks broke down. In addition to this the employer has approached individuals participating in the action, as well as other employees currently not involved, and tried to get them to sign up to the new terms and conditions, indicating to them that if there are any improvements conceded they will honour them for any who sign up to the new terms. To say this has incensed our members is putting it mildly.

"Our members subsequently voted for further 3 day and 4 day periods of Strike action the first of which took place on the 6,7 and 8 April with a further 4 days commencing on the 18 April (Good Friday), 19 April, 20th April (Easter Sunday) and 21 April (Easter Monday).

"At the Strike Rally on the 18th April our members voted for a further 14 day period of strike action, subsequently through the auspices of ACAS, UNISON negotiators met with representatives of Care UK to try and reach a resolution to the dispute. Regrettably, Care UK were not prepared to negotiate they merely restated their position and said they were not prepared to make any concessions. In a letter sent after this meeting to local MP’s they made outrageous, misleading and inaccurate claims to have made concessions on their initial proposals and even went as far as to claim that ACAS supported their view. This has been categorically denied by ACAS and our lead negotiator has written to Care UK asking for an explanation of just what ‘concessions’ they think they have offered."

The Doncaster, District and Bassetlaw health branch has launched an appeal to help members who are taking action. Please make donations payable to Doncaster, District and Bassetlaw Health Branch 20511, and send them to the UNISON Office, Jenkinson House, White Rose Way, Doncaster DN4 5GJ. Send solidarity messages and requests for speakers to: admin@unison-dab.org.uk Click here to download an updated collection sheet. Obviously there will be collections at the Saturday events.

For more info see here and here

Visit the strike Facebook page ‘Doncaster Supported Living Unison Strike’


Meanwhile in Bradford there is another problem involving Care UK and caused by competitive tendering.

1) Bradford: Private Provider muddle
1000 people have signed a petition started by a teenager to save the Eccleshill health centre in Bradford which offers NHS services but is run by Care UK under contract to Bradford CCG. The contract expires on July 7th. The contract was put out to tender and the CCG judged that no bid was acceptable including a renewal bid from Care UK. According to the local MP, LIb Dem David Ward, the CCG have stated that they are looking at all alternative options to ensure that the current services provided by the Treatment Centre continue to be provided for patients within the area.

This illustrates another ridiculous and dangerous side of the competitive tendering system. Unless the CCG is actually trying to cut the services we have a situation where the process is just going to leave a blank. It's not surprising that local people are upset but I imagine few of them are clear whether they are campaigning for the NHS or for Care UK. The CCG hasn't managed its communications well either, probably not helped by the commercial confidentiality around the procurement process. The CCG should be able to say clearly why the tenders were not acceptable - then people would know if it was something to do with Care UK - like what is happening in Doncaster.