Synnovis, which is part of SynLab, has a 15-year contract to run the outsourced pathology services for six hospitals - Guys, St Thomas, Kings College, Princess Royal University Hospital, Royal Brompton & Harefield - across Kings College NHS Foundation Trust and Guys & St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust.

Synnovis has heavily invested in a new hub at Blackfriars and plans to migrate the majority of its staff there, leaving only skeletal essential services at each of the hospitals, according to unite.

The union says staff are ‘furious' at how the pathology services company has been treating them during the restructure, with threats of redundancy, downgrading and unsafe staffing levels.

Unite regional officer Tabusam Ahmed said: 'Following initial talks, Unite has agreed to suspend two days of industrial action, as a goodwill gesture, to allow further talks with Synnovis to take place.

 

'Three remaining days of strike action are still due to take place unless Unite receives substantial concessions and improvements to working conditions for our members.'

In response to the news, a trust spokesperson said: ‘Unfortunately, to prepare for the strikes, we had to postpone a large number of non-urgent appointments and procedures scheduled for the planned strike days. This is because Synnovis processes tests, such as blood tests, which are important for many treatments and procedures.'

They added: ‘We are doing everything we can to make sure we can continue to provide urgent, emergency care, and essential inpatient care on strike days.'

When the strikes were announced, Synnovis told Healthcare Management: ‘Ultimately, we want to avoid the industrial action and continue to provide essential pathology services for patients in South East London, and we will continue to engage with Unite to that aim.'