NHS Lorry Drivers Strike: Nearly 200 GXO Drivers Set 15 Strike Days After Rejecting 4% Pay Offer

What happened in the NHS lorry drivers strike dispute

Unite has confirmed strike dates for nearly 200 drivers employed by GXO, the logistics firm that runs the NHS supply chain contract for Supply Chain Coordination Limited (SCCL). SCCL is wholly owned by NHS England.

The drivers deliver general equipment to hospitals across England, including bandages, dressings, gowns, gloves and needles. Their bases are Alfreton in Derbyshire, Bridgwater in Somerset, Normanton in West Yorkshire, Maidstone in Kent, Rugby in Warwickshire, Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk and Washington near Newcastle.

Members rejected a 4% pay offer from GXO. Unite says the drivers have weaker terms than staff on standard NHS contracts, including a much lower pension entitlement, and says GXO has told the union that SCCL will not increase the offer. Unite also says the company has threatened to withdraw the original offer, which the union says its members will not accept.

NHS Supply Chain says it is aware of the ballot result and the strike announcement, and says its priority with GXO is to keep vital products moving to the NHS. It says GXO has contingency plans in place to limit disruption while talks continue.

Key numbers

NHS lorry drivers strike dates in full

Most strike coverage lists the dates inside long articles. Here they are in one place:

Unite says action will step up if the dispute is not settled, and that a deal its members can accept would still stop the strikes before they start.

What it means for your money

This strike does not change what you pay for NHS care. Hospital treatment stays free at the point of use, and no new charge has been announced because of this dispute.

The money link is indirect. The supply chain contract is funded from the NHS budget, which comes from general taxation, so a more expensive pay settlement would be paid for inside that budget rather than through a bill to patients. The bigger risk for households is disruption, not price: if deliveries of everyday items such as dressings and gloves slow down, hospitals have less slack, even with contingency plans running.

If you work in driving or logistics, the dispute is also a pay signal. A rejected 4% offer, in a job the union says carries a weaker pension than NHS terms, shows how hard experienced HGV drivers are still pushing on total pay, not just the headline rate. If your own pay has stalled, our guide to ways to make extra money in the UK sets out checked options you can start alongside a job.

Your questions answered

Will my hospital appointment be cancelled?
No cancellations have been announced because of this dispute. NHS Supply Chain says contingency plans are in place to keep products moving while talks continue.

What do the drivers actually deliver?
General hospital supplies, including bandages, dressings, gowns, gloves and needles, to hospitals across England.

Can the strikes still be called off?
Yes. Unite says there is still time to avoid the action if a pay offer its members can accept is put forward.

Who employs the drivers?
GXO employs the drivers. GXO runs the contract for Supply Chain Coordination Limited, which is wholly owned by NHS England.

Source: Unite the Union, NHS lorry drivers strike announcement, October 2026, and the NHS Supply Chain statement reported with it. Photo: Geograph, CC BY-SA 2.0.