HES staff summoned to meetings amid job loss fears

HES HQ Image copyright Reuters
Image caption HES is based in Shotts, North Lanarkshire

Workers at a troubled clinical waste firm in North Lanarkshire have been called to meetings amid fears that jobs could be lost.

Healthcare Environmental Services Ltd (HES) has asked staff to come to its Shotts headquarters on Thursday.

On Christmas Eve, employees were sent text messages warning them they might not be paid this Friday.

Bosses claimed their bank had refused to release funds for the pay run.

The BBC has approached HES for a comment.

About 150 people are employed at the firm's base in North Lanarkshire, and almost 400 at depots throughout the UK.

Image caption The text message sent to staff on Christmas Eve

An employee told the BBC: "We are supposed to be paid on Friday 28 December. Some of the drivers have been told not to come to work for their runs this week.

"I think we will be told it's over."

Staff have also expressed concern that waste is piling up at the Shotts depot.

Image caption Bins at the Shotts depot
Image caption An employee told the BBC waste was piling up at the depot

The employee said: "Shotts is full of pallets of waste. Some of them have been there for a lot more than three weeks.

"There are containers positioned outside the gates so that no one can get in."

It is believed office staff have been asked to attend at 09:00, drivers at 10:30 and plant staff at 12:00 on Thursday.

Image caption Trucks outside the Shotts plant

HES previously lost 17 contracts with NHS trusts in England, and a criminal inquiry was launched into a build up of waste at some of its depots.

The company claimed its reputation was destroyed by the UK government, and said a shortage of incinerators rather than its actions was to blame for the problems.

In early December the firm was informed it would lose its NHS Scotland contract in April and said its banking facilities had been cut off.

The firm said it had made repeated requests for an urgent meeting with NHS Scotland "to ensure continuation of the service" but it had not received a response.

It added that it was still hopeful that it could continue to work with the health service in Scotland.

On 12 December National Services Scotland (NSS) said it had taken responsibility for waste from every hospital, GP surgery, dental practice and pharmacy to cope with a potential backlog of clinical waste after HSE withdrew its service.