DOZENS of hospital workers have formed picket lines outside Basingstoke hospital to protest against the Government’s refusal to give all NHS staff a recommended one per cent pay rise.

Ambulance drivers, midwives and ancillary and back office staff have joined forces at the entrance of the hospital, in Aldermaston Road, to make their feelings known.

Unison, Unite and GMB unions are leading the charge, and are joined by others including the Royal College of Midwifery, which is taking part in the action for the first time in its 133 year history.

The protesters began the action at 7am this morning and it will continue until 11am.

Branch secretary at Unison, Steve Rolfe, is amongst those at the picket line at the hospital.

He said: “We are hoping to bring the government back to the table to discuss the pay increase.

“We want our lowest paid staff to be paid the living wage. At a time when MPs are being given an 11 per cent pay increase, it is ridiculous that we are having to fight for a one per cent increase.”

He said that although emergency care is not being affected, around 100 appointments at Basingstoke hospital will be affected this morning.

Midwives Sharon Liming and Alison Nickell were also on the picket line.

Alison said: “I’ve been a midwife for 32 years and I am not able to give the same level of care as I used to as there are just not the staff.

“That is partly to do with pay.”

Sharon, who has been a midwife at Basingstoke for 20 years, said: “There is a lot of anger.

“Our pay is not rising to match the increase in the cost of living.

“This is devaluing our profession and devaluing what we do.”

Steve said: “We have had a lot of support today. Obviously there will be some people who disagree with what we are doing, but on the whole people have been very supportive.”

He added that hospital nurses had raised £100 so that protesters could enjoy teas and coffees.