We Lobbied the Board — And They Couldn't Ignore Us

On Tuesday, staff and UNISON members turned out to lobby the Trust Board against the proposed SubCo plan. We gathered outside Trust HQ with flyers, placards, and 600+ signed postcards from staff saying loud and clear:

“We do not consent to being transferred out of the NHS.”

Chief Executive Matthew Bryant approached protesters in the car park before the board meeting began, engaging briefly with staff who had gathered to oppose the SubCo proposal.

Inside the meeting, UNISON members raised key questions, including:

“Have you followed NHS England guidance regarding engagement with trade union representatives and staff?”
“Does it matter to you that staff so deeply oppose this?”

In a dramatic moment, UNISON’s communications officer delivered over 600 signed postcards to the board — each one declaring opposition to the SubCo plan. The postcards represented a broad cross-section of Dorset County Hospital staff — not just those in estates and facilities, but also nurses, clinical staff, and other departments standing in solidarity.