STRIKING hospital support staff are set to march through Colchester this weekend.

Cleaners, porters, housekeepers and other hospital support staff, who have already staged 13 days of strike action, will march through the city on Saturday (October 19) as part of their campaign to remain NHS employees.

Support staff at the East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Trust (ESNEFT) are protesting against plans to "privatise" hundreds of jobs.

Strike action is also planned for Monday, October 21, and Tuesday, October 22.

John Franklin, a porter at Colchester Hospital, said: "Patients, staff and the public must stand together to stop our local trust outsourcing services, handing hard-earned taxpayers' money over to a private company to run for shareholders that don’t live in the area, don’t care about its people and certainly don’t care about the services we provide."

The Unison union is concerned about the potential impact of outsourcing, suggesting it could lead to dirtier hospitals and poorer patient experiences if private companies cut corners to make a profit.

Spokesman Caroline Hennessy said: "Staff have been overwhelmed by the support from patients and the public on the picket lines.

"Patients value cleaners, porters, and other facilities staff and know that the services they provide will suffer if they’re sold off to a private company with its shareholders’ interests at heart."

The march will assemble on Turner Road at 10am on October 19, heading to Castle Park via Colchester Town Hall, where a rally will be held.