Catering jobs under threat at Bridlington hospital
After a quarter of century, patients at Bridlington hospital in Yorkshire will no longer have their meals cooked on site from next February, putting 13 catering jobs at risk.
Unite, the country’s largest union, said the news that the current eleven catering assistants will be reduced to three and only one of the six chefs will be required was ‘devastating news for our members and their families’.
Patient meals, which total 120 a day, will be provided using the cook/chill method with meals being cooked at York hospital and then transported to Bridlington to be reheated and served to patients.
Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said:
“This is devastating news for our members and their families who have given a first class service to Bridlington hospital for the past twenty five years.
“We would have liked more of a commitment from York Foundation Trust to this catering service – the trust seems intent on axing more services and jobs at Bridlington.
“Management has said that it will try to redeploy staff, but redundancies are on the cards which Unite will oppose very strongly.”
The consultation period for the potential job losses ends on 29 October. The move will require a significant investment at the York site, but will result in a further downgrading of services at Bridlington hospital.
The dining room - for the staff, public and the 110 patients using the hospital at any one time - will only open for two hours per day during the week and will be closed all weekend under these plans.
