NHS cleaners at Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, are voting on strike action over plans to privatise their services.

The cleaners have warned that patients will suffer if their jobs are transferred out of the NHS as a new private company would cut corners to make profit.

Researchers from Oxford and London universities have shown that there are higher rates of MRSA in hospitals with outsourced cleaning services.

Today, Unison regional organiser Caroline Hennessy said that hospital bosses had “plastered notices around the hospital boasting of having some of the lowest infection rates in the county but they seem happy to fritter away this achievement to save a bit of cash.

“They know full well they’ll only save that cash by squeezing it out of the staff who give their all to keep the hospital clean and safe for their patients.

“It’s staggering that they can show such scant regard for patients and staff by obstinately pressing on with their damaging plans.”