Dozens of staff employed by outsourcing firm ISS at North London NHS Foundation Trust have begun strike action at the trust’s Chase Farm Hospital site in Enfield after members rejected a recent pay and conditions offer.
Who is striking and why
The workers, represented by the GMB union, carry out a range of roles including catering, cleaning and security. The dispute stems from long-running grievances over working practices, workplace culture, equalisation of terms with NHS-employed colleagues and the union’s demand for formal recognition.
“ISS have shown no respect for their workers and have repeatedly failed to make a reasonable offer to meet their concerns, leaving our members with no choice but to take strike action,”
GMB said that after ISS presented its latest proposal to members, 95% voted to reject it and maintain industrial action.
Planned action and local impact
Strike action started on Tuesday 15 July and is scheduled to continue for the rest of this week, with further action planned to resume on Wednesday 22 July and additional dates expected to be announced by the union.
- Roles affected: catering, cleaning, security
- Employer: ISS (outsourcing contractor)
- Union: GMB
- Location: Chase Farm Hospital site, Enfield (part of North London NHS Foundation Trust)
The trust said it is working with ISS to put plans in place to reduce disruption and that maintaining safe, high-quality patient care is its priority. A spokesperson for the trust reiterated that contingency arrangements would be kept under constant review during the dispute. ISS did not respond to requests for comment.
Practical information for patients and visitors
At present the trust has not signalled any suspension of services. Patients with upcoming appointments should check their appointment communications from the trust or contact the hospital before travelling. Where possible, anyone needing non-urgent care may wish to confirm arrangements in advance to avoid disruption.
| Action | Dates |
|---|---|
| Initial week of strike | Started 15 July — continues through the week |
| Resumed action | From 22 July (three days planned) — further dates TBC |
The dispute highlights wider tensions around the use of outsourced staff within NHS settings and the difference in terms between directly employed NHS staff and those employed by contractors. The GMB says its members first raised a collective grievance more than a year ago and that talks have failed to resolve the issues.
Local health leaders and patients groups often urge both employers and unions to seek early dialogue where industrial action may affect front-line services. For now, the trust says it will take all necessary steps to ensure services continue to operate safely while the dispute proceeds.
