Upset as Doncaster sexual health staff miss out on NHS Covid cash

Employees at Solutions4Health, which offers sexual health and contraception services across the city, say they are missing out on a lump sum for work carried out during the Covid-19 pandemic after switching to the private provider.

Staff claim they were not told they would miss out on the deal – but health chiefs at Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Teaching Hospitals Trust say the move is in line with the national position on Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Rights (TUPE).

One staff member said: "In April 2022, our sexual health department was TUPE’d over from Doncaster Royal Infirmary via Agenda for Change to Solutions4Health, under the same terms and conditions as we previously worked under.

"We are still governed by the same policies, pay and conditions. At no time were we informed that if we moved over to Solutions4Health, that we would never receive any future NHS pay rises.

"We have still not received the lump sum, pay rise or back pay since the new pay agreement was agreed earlier this year, yet we are entitled to it as we all worked through Covid.

“All new starters are started on the new rate of pay and the staff at Doncaster Royal Infirmary have all received their lump sum, pay increase and back pay.

"We are all getting very disillusioned waiting to receive this money that is owed to us - and nothing seems to be happening.”

Zoe Lintin, Chief People Officer at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals (DBTH), said: “As per national policy and legislation, if an individual moves from the NHS to a private provider, they will be moved across via a Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment Rights (TUPE) process, and accept new terms and conditions separate from the health service.

“As a result, individuals would not be eligible for any retrospective Agenda For Change pay deal, agreed following their transferal from NHS employment

"This is consistent with the national position.”

Solutions4Health is a one-stop outlet providing advice, information, testing and treatment for sexual health concerns as well as contraception and psychosexual services in Doncaster.