MPs Welcome Progress on Fair Pay for Hospital Estates and Facilities Staff

Local Liberal Democrat MPs Helen Maguire, Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell, Bobby Dean, Member of Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington, and Luke Taylor, Member of Parliament for Sutton and Cheam, have welcomed the news from Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust that estates and facilities staff – including porters, cleaners, catering, and patient transport teams – will be moved onto the NHS Agenda for Change pay and benefits over the next two years.

The change will mean a £40 a week pay rise from April 2026 for the lowest-paid staff, along with improved annual leave, sickness pay, and unsocial hours enhancements by 2028.

The MPs had written to the Trust previously calling for action to address the long-standing pay disparity between estates and facilities staff and other NHS employees.

Whilst recognising this good progress, the MPs have also renewed their calls for urgent Government investment to tackle the severe disrepair of buildings at Epsom and St Helier Hospitals, extending their warning that without extra funding, the future of local NHS services could be at risk.

Helen Maguire, Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell, said:

“This is a step forward for fairness and recognition of Estates and Facilities staff. They are the backbone of our NHS hospitals, and it’s only right that they’re finally being brought onto proper NHS pay and conditions.

“At the same time, I recognise the valid concerns raised regarding the phased rollout and unresolved questions about pensions and overtime - and I urge the Trust to provide clarity on back pay and pension calculations so that staff can make informed choices.

“The jobs of the Estates and Facilities staff remain incredibly difficult when they’re working in buildings that are literally crumbling around them. Epsom and St Helier Hospitals urgently need investment to fix the broken facilities and ensure that staff and patients have the safe and contemporary environment they deserve.”

Bobby Dean, Member of Parliament for Carshalton and Wallington, said:

"This is absolutely a step in the right direction for staff who do vital work to keep St Helier Hospital running.

"But three years is a long time for staff to wait for fair overtime pay, and this settlement will have to come from the existing budget, stretching hospital finances even further.

"We urgently need ~an increased funding agreement for St Helier Hospital so that staff can be properly paid, essential maintenance can be carried out, and patients can be treated in facilities that are fit for purpose."

Luke Taylor, Member of Parliament for Sutton and Cheam, said:

“I welcome this progress - but I’m worried that it will be years before the full extent of the fair settlement is really put in place.

“There are clearly still concerns about backpay and pensions - and I think it’s important that the Government step up with new funding for the trust to make sure that a resolution can be facilitated faster than the current timetable.

“The Estates and Facilities staff deserve to be recognised for their vital work keeping our hospitals safe, clean and functioning.

“That isn’t easy at St Helier - where decades of underinvestment has left us with crumbling ceilings and flooded wards. The Government mustn’t wait any longer - we cannot afford to wait until next decade for a new hospital building in Sutton. The Health Secretary should focus on getting on with building it now.”

The MPs will continue to monitor the implementation of the new pay arrangements and press for urgent investment in hospital infrastructure.