Mersey Care staff sacked because they wouldn't make 80-mile round trip to work

More than 50 Mersey Care NHS staff who were sacked because they wouldn't make an 80-mile round trip to work have been given their redundancy pay following a union campaign.

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust recently closed its Calderstones Hospital site in Mitton Road, Whalley, Lancashire. The trust said it would relocate workers to suitable alternative roles.

However, the GMB union said that more than 50 workers were told they would now have to work at Apsen Wood in Maghull. For staff affected, this would have entailed an average of an 80 mile round trip. Otherwise they would have to accept an alternative role.

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The union said that those who wouldn’t, or couldn’t make the trip - or accept the unsuitable offers - were sacked, without redundancy pay, on Easter Sunday. However, following a GMB campaign, the trust has now agreed to pay staff their redundancy.

Michael Clark, GMB Regional Organiser, said: "Loyal workers with decades of service are now being treated with the dignity they deserve after years of service to Mersey Care and the NHS.

“Mersey Care’s insistence on average an 80-mile commute per shift was unreasonable. After continuing pressure from the GMB, the trust relented – a fantastic result for this union and its members.”

A Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust spokesman said: “Following the conclusion of the consultation and adhering to NHS employment regulations, the Trust has reviewed every case individually, and has considered all the new supporting information to exhaust every opportunity to retain employment.

“Unfortunately, and despite best efforts to retain employment currently 118 members of staff, previously based at our former Whalley site, have now been contacted to confirm their redundancy payments. This follows the decision made by NHS England to transfer learning disability services from Whalley to their new home in Aspen Wood which is based at Maghull Health Park.

“Throughout this ongoing transition to Aspen Wood, Mersey Care has supported all staff to continue their careers in the NHS by offering opportunities within our Trust and other local NHS organisations to protect their employment, to retain talent and minimise the loss of valuable skills and expertise from the NHS.”

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