Luton and Dunstable Hospital
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has appointed ISS Healthcare as its new provider of catering and domestic services at the Luton & Dunstable University Hospital (L&D).
The seven year contract, which follows a 12-month tendering and evaluation process, will begin in November 2020.
The news comes as the hospital’s outsourced cleaners secured the same pay as their NHS colleagues. A few weeks ago unions Unison and GMB, said that when a new cleaning, catering and housekeeping contract begins in November, the workers – many paid the minimum wage – will enjoy full NHS pay of at least £9.21 an hour, as well as any nationally agreed future rises.
Staff have also won improved annual leave and sick pay entitlements. Staff overwhelmingly backed the deal, which will come into effect when the current service provider Engie’s contract ends in November and ISS takes over.
Chris Ash, managing director of ISS Healthcare, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the need for the highest levels of cleanliness in all our hospitals and our healthcare cleaning solutions have proved very successful throughout our portfolio of NHS hospitals during this pandemic.”
Image credit | ISS