The threat of an NHS strike is off after health workers accepted a new pay deal.
Hundreds of healthcare assistants employed by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDNFT) had threatened to walk out over back pay for performing duties above their pay grades, often for years.
Northern regional secretary for Unison, Clare Williams, said members were “delighted the trust has seen sense and come back with an improved offer to avoid any unnecessary disruption”.
CDDNFT has been approached for comment.
Unison staff at Darlington Memorial Hospital, University Hospital of North Durham, Bishop Auckland Hospital and Chester-le-Street Community Hospital were involved in the dispute.
In 2024, the trust put healthcare assistants on a higher salary band, reflecting tasks like taking blood, performing electrocardiogram tests and inserting cannulas.
The trust also previously said it backdated people’s pay on this higher band to July 2023, but the union said the move did not recognise that for years, workers had performed duties above their grade.
“The level of back pay for extra work they’d already done remained a sticking point, but staff have now agreed to accept a revised offer,” Unison said.
The union said the new deal would see staff receive as much as £5,500 in back pay depending on length of service.