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Doncaster Hospital Staff Strike Over Contract Changes
18 Dec
Summary
- Around 120 workers at Cheswold Park hospital began strike action.
- Unite union claims NHS failed to update staff contracts to NHS standards.
- The NHS trust is committed to transferring staff to Agenda for Change by 2027.
Staff at Cheswold Park Hospital in Doncaster commenced strike action on December 18, 2025, over unresolved contract disputes. Unite union reports that about 120 workers, previously employed by Riverside, have not had their contracts updated to NHS standards since the NHS took over the facility in late 2024. The union criticizes the NHS trust for delaying this transfer for over a year and refusing to implement back-dated pay and terms.
The South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust, which now runs Cheswold Park, acknowledged the strike action as disappointing. A spokesperson emphasized the trust's primary concern for patient well-being and minimizing service disruption. The trust stated it is not legally obligated to transfer the staff to Agenda for Change terms immediately but has committed to doing so by 2027, having already moved this date forward to November 1, 2025.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham affirmed the union's support for the workers, highlighting their previous success in securing NHS contracts for the staff. The union warned of further intensified strike action if the dispute is not amicably resolved. The affected workers, in various medical and non-medical roles, are scheduled for further walkouts throughout December and into January 2026.
