Mick Suter, Sheffield and South Yorkshire Save our NHS chair and Socialist Party member
Over 80 hospital workers face eviction from their accommodation at Rotherham Hospital at a time when Rotherham NHS has severe staff shortages. The Trust sent out letters on 30 July informing staff they have to leave by the end of January 2025. There was no consultation with the tenants or their trade unions, or an attempt to offer alternative accommodation.
The Trust claims there is a health and safety report which says the three accommodation blocks – Swale Court, Derwent Court and Loxley Court – all need upgrades which the Trust cannot afford to pay for. Tenants have requested to see this report but so far no copy has been sent.
Individual tenants and those from the action group have requested a copy of the report, as well the one completed in 2022, which we believe states the buildings were safe to live in until 2027. Tenants are still waiting for answers. One of the questions is: can the Trust supply the fire service reports and letters for the past four weeks? None have been provided so far – why?
The eviction letters came as a bombshell to the tenants. Many were attracted to work in Rotherham with the offer of accommodation. The housing blocks on site provide safe and secure accommodation for some staff.
One of the tenants reported: “Many have chosen to bring their careers here, personally I applied to do my training in Rotherham because of this accommodation”. This clearly shows how having accommodation helps with staff recruitment and retention.
Sheffield Save Our NHS, alongside the tenants’ action group, will be holding a protest outside Rotherham Hospital in early October and will continue to collect names for the petition, as well as launching an online petition. NHS workers and tenants are determined to halt these evictions and save Rotherham Hospital from further service cuts.
Sheffield and South Yorkshire Save our NHS and Rotherham Hospital Accommodation Tenants’ Action Group demand the following:
- All the proposed evictions of health workers by Rotherham NHS Trust to be halted
- All health and safety reports/audits in regards to Derwent Court, Swale Court and Loxley Court are published and given to the tenants
- All and any necessary repairs are properly carried out and fully funded
