NHS trust hired illegal immigrants
Updated on 19 November 2009
Channel 4 News can reveal that an NHS trust has hired dozens and possibly hundreds of illegal immigrants through one of its biggest private cleaning contractors.
The company involved is ISS which employs over 40,000 people around the UK through contracts it holds with the NHS and blue chip companies.
The UK Border Agency has uncovered hundreds of fake documents submitted to Kingston Hospital, including security passes, national insurance numbers and passports.
A senior manager of ISS has been arrested on suspicion of skimming money from the illegal immigrants for cleaning and catering staff.
A whistleblower has told Channel 4 News that ISS had a stranglehold over the cleaners to avoid them from talking.
ISS is being questioned about the status, role and pay of hundreds of its cleaners and catering staff, facing allegations over the issuing of fake passports and national Insurance numbers and facing the possibility of a multi million pound fine.
The company told Channel 4 News: "ISS Mediclean has robust procedures for the correct engagement of employees, and as an organisation regularly conducts checks of all of our operatives across the country.
"These relate to the staffs right to work in the UK, as well as identifying any national insurance irregularities.
"These checks are carried out regularly. An internal audit at Kingston Hospital has been carried out within the last month."
Jon Snow speaks to Karen Jennings, head of health at UNISON.
"The UNISON branch officials acted very professionally.
"They raised through the structures of the hospital, with the hospital management service and with ISS Mediclean.
"It's quite clear that in the final analysis, ISS Mediclean said to them that they would issue libel action against them if they made any further allegation.
"It is appalling behaviour and I think we've got to get to the point where the management of services, and the government have got to listen to what staff are saying."
