Healthcare Support Workers at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) expected to receive the payment with their November wage after months of negotiations.

The Unison trade union, which represent the workers, described the delay as “extremely disappointing” and said staff are “understandably angry and deeply disappointed that payments the Trust agreed to pay in November have been delayed”.

Unison members believe the Trust has reneged on the deal and it is understood that potential strike action is an option.

Unison Northern regional secretary Clare Williams said: “Healthcare assistants at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust have been waiting for years to receive the appropriate banding in recognition of the clinical work they do on a daily basis.

“It is extremely disappointing that they are still waiting to receive the back pay the Trust had agreed they were owed.

“Staff are understandably angry and deeply disappointed that payments the Trust agreed to pay in November have been delayed.

“Unison is challenging the Trust to ensure these payments are made as quickly as possible and have repeatedly requested a clear timeline for this matter to be resolved. Staff deserve to be respected and valued and that means the employer needs to deliver on its commitment to them.

“Unison will continue to engage with the Trust to urge them to do the right thing and resolve this as a matter of urgency.”

One affected worker added: “This is devastating. Staff were specifically relying on this money for Christmas.

“Many of us turned down extra shifts this month to avoid high tax bills, only to be told at the last minute that the money isn’t coming. It shows a total lack of respect and is causing immense financial stress right before the holidays.”

The Trust said it recognises how “upsetting and stressful” the situation is for staff and said it is working with Unison to move the situation forward. It also apologised to staff for the “distress and uncertainty” the situation has caused.

The Trust also said it is sharing support options available to any colleagues who may be experiencing financial difficulties.

A spokesperson for CDDFT said: “We fully recognise how upsetting and stressful this situation is for our staff, especially at this time of year. We remain committed to delivering the agreed settlement and continue to work with Unison to move this forward.

“However, we are still awaiting final approvals before payments can be made. We are very sorry for the distress and uncertainty this has caused and acknowledge the real impact this is having on colleagues. As soon as a confirmed timeline is known, we will provide a further update.”

It is the latest in a long line of setbacks for the crisis-hit Trust.

Last month, a damning report into the Trust’s breast surgery service found cancers were missed and unnecessary procedures were carried out.

In November, a pensioner claimed he was sent home “covered in his own waste” following a colonoscopy procedure at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

The Trust is also waiting for a judgment in a legal challenge brought by seven nurses over a transgender colleague’s use of the female changing rooms at work.

In the back pay issue, Unison says some workers are owed as much as £5,500. This is because they performed clinical duties above their pay grade and band level.

Healthcare Support Workers are frontline healthcare staff on wards and in departments in hospitals. Their main roles include washing, dressing and feeding patients. This was classed as Band 2.

But Unison said some workers, for more than 20 years, carried out daily clinical duties such as taking bloods and inserting and replacing cannulas. This should have been the work of a Band 3 worker, meaning they should have been paid more.

The dispute was registered with the Trust on September 2, 2021, after NHS England issued guidance on rebanding.

Most trusts in the country rebanded, with CDDFT doing so in 2024. The Trust initially offered workers six months back pay, which was rejected, with negotiations between the union and CDDFT formally starting in December 2024.

Unison said CDDFT offered workers a one-off payment, dependent on length of service and time worked. The maximum amount offered, to workers with six years or more service, was £5,500 before tax and National Insurance.

Members accepted the offer in October, subject to CDDFT board approval. Unison said members should have received letters of confirmation after a board meeting in November – but the letters never arrived.

When the original offer was made, Sue Jacques was the chief executive of CDDFT and Professor Richard Scothon was the Trust chairman.

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However, following the appointments of Steve Russell and Alison Marshall to chief executive and interim chair respectively, workers were told the offer now needed approval from NHS England.

This was confirmed by CDDFT which said it is “still awaiting final approvals before payments can be made”.

Unison say workers continue to wait on NHS England approval, after previously being promised the back payment would arrive in their November pay packet. The union has also said the CDDFT has also missed the payroll for December.