Save UCLH nursery! Sign the petition: https://chng.it/cdYfJZwJXZ

• UNIVERSITY College London Hospital has unveiled its new five-year strategy, in which, point two of five on the plan is “Investing in our diverse workforce”.

However, at the same time, the senior directors’ team plans to close down UCLH nursery that has been operating for 25 years and looked after thousands of children, enabling their parents to continue working at UCLH thanks to the affordable childcare it provides.

The nursery provides subsidised childcare through a banded salary sacrifice scheme for 29 families, many of whom will struggle to continue on in their careers without this resource.

We are asking the health trust not only to halt the planned closure but to look at investing in childcare and expanding nursery provision so more staff can benefit, just as other trusts, such as Great Ormond Street Hospital, have done.

They can and should do better if they are serious about investing in their workforce in any sort of meaningful way.

In addition closure of the nursery will make all the staff working there redundant (redeployment is very difficult). They are exclusively women, 95 per cent ethnically diverse, and some have worked there for over 20 years.

Many of you will know how difficult it is to find good quality, reliable, childcare and, given the current climate, making it affordable has never been more important. It is sound policy for any large organisation that is a majority female employer to provide this type of resource as it embeds quality staff within the organisation and reduces the gender pay gap.

Please join our campaign by signing the petition (link below) and help persuade the trust really to make an “investment in its diverse workforce”.

Thank you for your support. Save UCLH nursery!

Sign the petition: https://chng.it/cdYfJZwJXZ

PATRICIA CASTRO ABARCA
Advanced Audiologist, UCLH