Nurses, midwives, community specialist public health nurses and healthcare assistants
UNISON is the UK's largest public service union with more than 1.3 million members. We represent the whole nursing family, including nurses, midwives, health visitors and healthcare assistants. We have a large network of branch representatives and national and regional officers, who are committed to providing you with help and support when dealing with problems at work.
We represent our members in many ways, offering help and advice at work, raising your professional/local concerns or by highlighting issues that will affect all health workers at a national level. We work together to make sure our members' concerns are heard - whether it's about pay, health and safety, discrimination or the future of our NHS.
We actively campaign on issues like pensions, health and safety, salaries for student nurses, regulation for healthcare assistants and an end to discrimination and harassment.
I'm Gail Adams and I've been UNISON's Head of Nursing for five years.
I started my nurse training in 1984 at St Georges in South London where I worked in a variety of areas including orthopaedics and surgical cancer care.
At the same time I became involved in the union after I had been helped with a problem in the workplace and found I really enjoyed helping members and taking cases as their union representative. As UNISON's Head of Nursing I enjoy the chance to take forward the concerns of our profession and help give nurses and other health staff a voice.
UNISON is here to support you as you support your patients.
So, please explore these pages and find out how we can help you.
Latest news and press releases
(03/02/2012) The National Union of Students (NUS) has launched a major piece of research into students' experience of financial support. All healthcare students are encouraged to participate. The NUS is looking to set up support schemes to try and alleviate the financial burden on students.
Participants will be entered into a draw - you can win a cash prize of £500 or one £50 cash prizes.
(25/01/12)The National Nursing and Midwifery Committee Sector, in conjunction with local government and community and voluntary services, will be holding a one day mental health seminar.
The mental health seminar will now be held on 29 May 2012 instead of 8 February 2012. Delegates who have already registered for a place on the previous date and who wish to re-register to attend the re-arranged date are asked to contact the Mental Health Seminar Co-ordinator to confirm re-registration.
(20/1/12) The Prime Minister's new drive to free nurses from bureaucracy, is not so new and can only be achieved through well-resourced and well-staffed hospitals. (19/01/12) Have questions about NHS Student Bursaries? Check out UNISON's new factsheet. (12/01/2012) The Chief Executive, Dickon Weir-Hughes has resigned from his position with immediate effect. (15/12/11) Check out UNISON’s newest Facebook page and give us a Like!(21/11/11) A joint protocol has been established by all the health unions engaged in the campaign against attacks on the NHS Pension Scheme. the protocol sets out the broad principles agreed by all the unions in order to guide joint activity at national, regional and local level over the course of the campaign.
(21/11/11) UNISON has produced new guidance on emergency cover and exemptions from indusrial action to help branches prepare for the day of action on November 30th.
(11/11/11) The NHS Commissioning Board Authority is now in operation but in shadow form
This year's celebratory awards were held at UNISON's offices. This marks an historical moment, as it is the first time since the creation of the Mary Seacole Awards. (28/10/11) The NMC is reviewing the process of the PREP system with a view to replacing it with a new method of revalidation. (18/10/11) This newsletter's edition includes: Getting Active and Campaigning in UNISON; The outcome of the Student Bursary, including bursary rates for degree and diploma students; Pre-registration nursing education, preceptorship; student indexing; Online social networking and more. (19/08/11) The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has posted on its website a joint statement made by the Council, the University of Lincoln, the University of Nottingham, the Open University, the University of Northampton, East Midlands Strategic Health Authority and United Lincolnshire Hospital Trust. (21/07/11) Writing a statement can be a daunting experience, so UNISON has produced a guidance on how to write a witness statement. (20/07/11) The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) the regulatory body for nursing, midwifery and students who are studying in these fields has published their annual review of fitness to practise, reports and accounts for 2010-2011.(09/06/11) Nursing and Midwifery Professional Seminar. On the 11th & 12th May UNISON held a national professional seminar for Nursing, the event was oversubscribed and proved highly successful.
Nurses from across the UK converged on York to discuss staffing levels, pensions, professional issues, NHS finance, the Health and Social Care Bill, Duty of Care and professional responsibility in addition to campaign.
