Leeds NHS strike: who is striking and when does it begin? Full details

NHS staff are set to go on strike in Leeds this week.

Operating theatre assistants at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) are set to walk out this morning (July 20) in industrial action which is planned to last for two weeks.

Trade union Unison said staff should be paid at a higher rate for their “vital role in keeping operating theatres safe”.

Here’s all you need to know about the industrial action:

Who is going on strike this week?

The strike will see operating theatre assistants at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust walk-out for two weeks, under current plans.

Unison announced the industrial action last week and it is currently expected to go ahead as planned.

Leonie Sharp, the union’s Yorkshire and Humberside regional manager, said: “These workers have vital roles, ensuring operations run smoothly and patients stay safe.

“They’ve repeatedly asked the trust to recognise their skilled work. But senior managers fail to recognise the complex nature of their jobs.

“To strike is always a last resort, but these workers can't be expected to go on without receiving the pay to which they’re entitled.

“Other trusts across the country have recognised the value of their staff. Leeds must do the same.”

When does the strike start and end?

The theatre assistants employed by Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust will strike from 8am today (July 20). It is currently planned to last for two weeks.

Striking staff will be on the picket line at Leeds General Infirmary this morning, Unison has said.

Why is the strike happening?

The strike is happening as part of an ongoing dispute over fair grading and back pay, the trade union announced.

Unison says the workers should be paid at a higher rate for their vital role in keeping operating theatres safe.

The union is calling on the trust to regrade them from band 2 to band 3 of the NHS Agenda for Change pay scale and provide back pay for carrying out higher-level responsibilities.

Duties include reducing the infection risk for patients, assisting with specialist surgical equipment, supporting clinical teams during operations and helping patients with recovery after surgery.

Unison says more than 100 NHS trusts and health boards across England and Wales have already agreed regrading and back-pay settlements for healthcare support workers carrying out comparable duties.

The union adds the trust has had repeated opportunities to resolve the dispute but has so far failed to recognise the value of theatre assistants.