OPERATING theatre staff at the Royal Gwent Hospital - who claim they are owed thousands of pounds each in unsocial hours payments - are accusing health bosses of unacceptable delaying tactics in settling the issue.

Around 30 ODAs (operating department assistants) are set to ballot on industrial action over the matter, which could lead to cancelled operations or the costly hiring of agency staff.

The row relates to the nationwide Agenda For Change (A4C) NHS pay modernisation programme which has led to many staff pay adjustments, backdated to October 2004.

Royal Gwent ODAs contend they are entitled to unsocial hours payments from this date and believe, along with public services union Unison, that their stance is confirmed by an NHS Staff Council letter on the issue, sent to the Assembly last month.

The staff council was set up to operate the new pay system and involves representatives of NHS employers, relevant trade unions, and professional bodies.

It agreed that professional and technical staff on old Whitley Council NHS employment contracts with no provision for unsocial hours payments would be covered by interim arrangements, with entitlement to such payments on the basis of rules applying to nurses and midwives.

Royal Gwent ODAs, who assist anaesthetists in theatre, and also help in the resuscitation area of A&E, maintain this qualifies them for backdated payments.

"For a handful of us the figure is £15-20,000, and the rest would get a proportion," said an ODA who did not wish to be named.

"This has dragged on for a ridiculous amount of time. At one stage we were told we would get it, but it was withdrawn.

"The trust is just playing games. We've had enough."

The trust however, maintains it has acted on all-Wales guidance in continuing pre-A4C regulations governing unsocial hours payments until a new agreement is reached, and that the contents of the NHS staff council letter will be discussed at a Wales-wide level later this month.