Cleaners, porters and housekeepers at Colchester Hospital are set to down tools for three weeks in the latest strike action. 

More than 350 workers at the East Suffolk and North Essex Trust sites have walked out and say they will continue to do so until December 13 or until the trust abandons plans to outsource jobs. 

Support staff are protesting against plans to "privatise" hundreds of jobs.

The workers are concerned that outsourcing will lead to a decline in service quality, job insecurity, and negatively impact patient care.

The latest round of strike action began on Monday. 

UNISON Eastern head of health Caroline Hennessy said: “These workers are proud to work for the NHS and provide essential services to keep hospitals clean, get patients where they need to be and get them fed. They know that their ability to provide those services will be fatally compromised if they’re sold out of the NHS. 

“They don’t want to strike but they’ve been left with no choice by trust leaders who have been refusing to listen. 

“As soon as staff are told their jobs are staying in-house, they’ll get straight back to work. But if the trust wants to plough on with its damaging sell-off they’ll keep fighting to stay in the NHS.” 

The dispute started after staff were notified in April 2024 that there was a chance of their jobs being outsourced. 

Last month a video shared by the Health Service Journal appeared to show Nick Hulme, the trust's chief executive, saying the move was a done deal. 

But hospital bosses have denied this. 

A spokesman said: “The trust wishes to reiterate that no final decision has yet been made as to how our soft facilities services at Colchester Hospital and community sites will be provided in the future.   

“A final business case will be considered at the trust board meeting on December 5, with a summary of the decision to be published shortly thereafter.   

“It is the trust’s responsibility and overriding priority to deliver the best possible care and outcomes for patients in a safe environment and at the best value for money for taxpayers. 

“At a time when the local NHS is under significant and mounting pressure – and while we are still in discussion with trades union representatives and other stakeholders - it is difficult to see how a further period of industrial action will benefit local patients and their families.  

“As previously, we are working to ensure that cover is in place across the range of services affected while some of our soft facilities staff take part in lawful industrial action.”