BMI Healthcare confirms private hospital staff who need to self-isolate will receive sick pay - after union voices concerns

Healthcare workers at the BMI Highfield Hospital in Rochdale will receive pay if they cannot work due to contracting coronavirus from a patient, the healthcare provider has confirmed.

BMI Healthcare is one of the private firms that will treat NHS patients, including those who have the virus, as part of the national effort to cope with overwhelmed hospitals.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/133666/bmi-highfield-hospital-to-support-nhs

According to the union UNISON, initial correspondence to staff at the Highfield Hospital suggested that the health provider would only pay staff for two weeks, even if they contracted the infection from a patient at work, before then paying statutory sick pay – whereas NHS staff would have been paid in full.

UNISON says that the CEO of BMI, Karen Prins, wrote a note to staff at Highfield, confirming that two patients had tested positive for the illness. Since then, some staff have had to take time off because of sickness.

The note allegedly explained that staff who need to self-isolate following government guidance because they are at risk would not be paid, whilst those who have to care for a child or someone who is self-isolating were told to take annual leave.

Highfield’s healthcare workers are also understood to have been told to take a weeks’ annual leave whilst the hospital was closed ahead of preparations to take NHS patients, despite being available to work.

However, in response to the allegations, BMI has since clarified that staff who are sick will receive either company sick pay or statutory sick pay, and those deemed to be at risk will receive full pay.

A spokesperson for BMI Healthcare said: “The world has moved on, and continues to move apace, since our initial communications to staff in regard to Covid-19.

“I can reassure everyone that staff who need to self-isolate due to sickness from coronavirus will receive sick pay from day one – this will either be company sick pay or statutory sick pay dependant on length of service.

“In addition, people who are ‘at risk’ – as defined by Public Health England – receive a thorough risk assessment and if we cannot redeploy them or they cannot work at home then they will be medically excluded from work on full pay in accordance with national guidelines. This group includes the over-70s, people with an underlying medical condition and pregnant workers.

“Our primary focus remains on the delivery of safe and effective healthcare and on the safety and welfare of our staff. While we work to the national guidance, we also look at staff members’ individual circumstances, including their ability to work from home, and evaluate them thoroughly to reduce risk – both to them and to patients.”

Responding to BMI Healthcare, UNISON North West regional organiser Pat Woolham said: “We are pleased that BMI Healthcare have taken the decision to follow Government guidance on sick pay and self-isolation for “at risk” groups, although we are disappointed that original communications to staff suggested that BMI would take a different approach. This has created unnecessary stress for “at risk” staff who are already dealing with the impacts of the coronavirus.

“We still believe that it is unacceptable that many staff will only receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) of £94 per week, which is considerably less than their NHS employed colleagues will receive. This may put some staff who are exhibiting symptoms in the difficult position of choosing between staying in work or being unable to provide for their families.

“Staff have also understandably raised concerns about being forced to take a weeks’ annual leave at short notice whilst the hospital closes. Finally, many BMI Healthcare workers remain worried that staff who have to care for a child or dependent that’s self-isolating have been told they must take annual leave, potentially storing up problems for later in the year.”