Cumbrian mental health care team could be split as strike action ends

It is part of the disaggregation programme, dividing services between the two new unitary authorities, following their replacement of the former Carlisle City, Allerdale, Copeland, Eden, South Lakes, Barrow and Cumbria councils.

Members of the joint overview and scrutiny committee on hosted services were given an adult urgent care team disaggregation update report at Voreda House on Thursday (September 5).

Chris Jones-King, the director of adult social care and housing at Cumberland Council, said it was one of the services where disaggregation was delayed "because of the complexity".

And Lennie Sahota, Westmorland & Furness Council's interim assistant director for operations, they were making progress, and the original deadline was set at September 30, but added that it now could be by the end of the financial year in March 2025.

He said: "We are confident that we will be able to do that within the timescale."

He said that it had been affected by industrial action. According to his report, this was carried out by GMB members of the urgent care team since March 2024.

The report states: "The urgent care team have engaged in strike action on three separate occasions. In April through the early May 2024, the team engaged in a period of sustained strike action for two weeks.

"The GMB have balloted their members in the urgent care team on an offer from Cumberland to resolve the ongoing industrial action.

"GMB's ballot has now concluded, and members have voted unanimously in favour of accepting the offer made by Cumberland council; a market force supplement (MFS) of £3,500 per annum, backdated to August 1, 2023.

"The overtime ban and work to rule will continue until the first payment and back dated pay has been paid in Urgent Care Team members August’s salary.

"No further industrial action will take place."

Mr Sahota confirmed that the urgent care team was still operating as a "joint service".