HOSPITAL staff in Southend secured a significant victory today for pay equality.

Unison members at Southend University Hospital will now be paid the same rates as all other NHS workers across the country.

The hospital was the only NHS trust in Britain that stood outside the nationally agreed Agenda for Change contract, which is a national policy to ensure pay regulations and equal conditions across all hospitals.

Southend University Hospital had opted out of this system in 2006 and had been running its own system since then, which meant staff were not guaranteed the same pay rises and conditions as colleagues at other NHS trusts.

Following consultation with Unison, the trust has now fully agreed to apply this to all national terms and conditions.

Unison members at the hospital voted 88 per cent in favour of moving to national terms and conditions on April 1.

The union’s regional organiser Sam Older said: “This is great news for staff in Southend and indeed the NHS as a whole.

“Now a nurse, healthcare assistant or porter in Southend, Sunderland or Solihull will be paid the same rate for doing the same job.

“Staff are better protected and treated more fairly if we can negotiate at a national level.

“That’s how we secured huge rises for some of the lowest-paid workers in the NHS.

“For instance, a band two healthcare assistants’ pay rates will have gone from £15,404 last year to £18,005 in 2020.

“We will work with the trust to support staff through the change and make sure it goes as smoothly as possible.”

Southend University Hospital NHS Trust had not responded for comment when the Star went to press.