GXO lorry drivers delivering NHS medical supplies across England will strike on five separate occasions between mid-October and mid-November after rejecting a 4% pay raise, according to the Unite union.
Walkouts are scheduled for October 13-15, October 20-22, October 27-29, November 3-5 and November 10-12. Drivers work at depots in Tyne and Wear, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, Kent, Warwickshire and Suffolk. GXO operates the NHS supply chain contract for Supply Chain Coordination Limited, which is wholly owned by NHS England.
Unite regional officer Phil Silkstone said members deemed the 4% offer unacceptable. He stated: "There is still time for strike action to be avoided but that will require a deal our members can accept."
The drivers transport medical equipment including bandages, dressings, gowns, gloves and needles to hospitals across England. Specific depots involved are in Alfreton, Bridgwater, Normanton, Maidstone, Rugby, Bury St Edmonds and Washington.
GXO and NHS Supply Chain said they had prepared "robust contingency plans" to reduce disruption. A GXO spokesperson described the 4% offer as fair and stated that "patient care remains of paramount importance" during the planned industrial action.
The dispute reflects rising labor cost pressures across NHS supply operations as workers seek wages aligned with broader inflation and cost-of-living increases. GXO operates one of the largest logistics contracts supporting the English health system. Sustained strikes could complicate hospital equipment availability if contingency plans prove insufficient to maintain normal supply volumes across the seven affected regions.