Sir Bob Russell writes to PM over Colchester Hospital jobs

Colchester High Steward Sir Bob Russell has penned letters to Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Secretary of State for Health Wes Streeting.

Sir Bob, who is receiving treatment for cancer at the hospital, wrote the letters in a bid to help the hundreds of NHS support workers who fear their jobs will be privatised.

The East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust (ESNEFT) bosses previously announced the plans to outsource the jobs earlier this year.

Many NHS workers took part in a weeklong walk-out in protest against the plans back in August, as staff vowed they wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Standing up - Sir Bob Russell at on the picket line outside Colchester Hospital in support of NHS workers opposed to their jobs being privatised – with Bea Bartilucci, one of the Unison trade union organisers (Image: Bob Russell) With picket lines organised by union organisation Unison, Sir Bob, 78, has joined strikes on two separate occasions.

In his letters, Sir Bob calls for an independent investigation into the management of Colchester Hospital.

In the letters, he said: “Staff want to remain part of an holistic NHS.

“They don’t want to be handed over to a private company – whose ultimate aim is to make a profit from money funded by taxpayers to finance the National Health Service.

Prime Minister - Keir Starmer “How is outsourcing, privatising, jobs at Colchester General Hospital going to make things better for patients?”

“Why should taxpayers' money be given to a private company when that money should be spent on the NHS at Colchester Hospital?”

In the letters, Sir Bob says he has “no confidence in the trustees and those dictating the proposed outsourcing”.

Not happy - striking NHS workers outside Colchester Hospital in Turner Road, in August (Image: Newsquest) Unison Eastern regional secretary Tim Roberts said: "Labour won a landslide earlier this year with a manifesto promising to end 'two-tier workforces' and bring in laws requiring public bodies to test whether any outsourcing is in the public interest.

"Other NHS trusts - including ESNEFT not too long ago - have realised that the wind is blowing services back in house where there is more control and services can be delivered at a higher quality.

"But the current board is ignoring that political change, just as it's ignoring the NHS Constitution and guidance from NHS England.

"For the good of patients and the wider public, the board must abandon these plans and commit to delivering services in house."

ESNEFT chief executive Nick Hulme said: “A full business case looking at how we provide the future of soft facilities management services will be discussed by our trust board in November.

“No final decision has been made and we are currently looking at the options and following due process to make sure the final decision delivers services which are best for our patients, staff and the wider community.”