• People
• Nursing home
• Nurses
• Midwives
• Community specialist public health nurses
• HCAs
• Student nurses

• Issues
• Mental health
• Overseas nurses in UK

• Resources
• Education and careers advice
• Professional bodies
• Conferences
• Documents

• Related links
• Health care

Nurses, midwives, community specialist public health nurses and healthcare assistants

UNISON is the UK's largest trade union with more than 1.3 million members across the country. We represent the whole nursing family, including nurses, midwives, health visitors and healthcare assistants. We have the largest network of branch representatives and national and regional officers, who are committed to providing you with workplace and professional support.

UNISON is leading the campaign for better pay and conditions for healthcare professionals and we actively campaign on issues including pensions, salaries for student nurses, regulation for healthcare assistants and Agenda for Change.

Latest news and press releases

UNISON is delighted to announce that its third national Healthcare Assistants Conference will be held on 22 July 2008 at TUC Congress House, London.

(25/04/08) The attached file contains the latest edition of Nursing Matters, which includes news on the UNISON response to two major consultations concerning the future of the nursing profession, progress on the Darzi review and the formulation of the new NMC code of conduct. Nursing Matters April 08: 17178.pdf

(02/04/08) In order to campaign effectively on the issues of most importance to healthcare assistants, UNISON is conducting a major survey to gather the views and aspirations of healthcare assistants across the health service.

(13/03/08) Applications are invited for this year’s Mary Seacole awards, which are made annually in honour of this inspiring nurse’s pioneering work and achievements. The attached files set out the Development and Leadership Awards available,the procedure for applying and the application forms. The deadline for receipt of applications by the administrators is 7 May. MS Development Awards: A6620a.3.pdf MS Leadership Awards: A6620b.1.pdf

The attached report seeks to outline the information available on attrition rates for bursary and seconded students on nursing and midwifery courses.

UNISON has launched its “Get Connected” campaign to establish e-mail networks for UNISON members who work as nurses, midwives, health visitors, healthcare assistants or student nurses. .

The attached spring newsletter includes articles on UNISON's survey of healthcare students, discussions on changes to the bursary system, the student nurse national seminar and respondining to major consultations covering pre and post registration nursing education.

(23/01/08) The Service Group Executive (SGE) in conjunction with the Scottish Region is seeking a nomination from UNISON branches for the Jean Harrison Memorial Bursary.

(21/12/07) The attached report, entitled A Crash Course in Debt, sets out the findings of UNISON's 2007 survey of health students.
Acrobat PDF (131017 bytes)

(16/08/2007) The attached autumn newsletter includes articles on changes to the bursary that bring it in line with age discrimination legislation, a national seminar of student nurses and discounts available through the UNISON Book Club.
Acrobat PDF

(01/05/07) The attached document outlines a Health Care Assistants personal development project which is supported by UNISON and the Widening Participation in Learning Strategy Unit. Download it here: E-learning support for HCAs: A5164.pdf

Also available are the results of the UNISON health conference online survey on e-learning: UNISON health conference online survey on e-learni: B5164.pdf

Learning the hard way - Nursing students handed in 10,000 Pay Not Poverty postcards to Downing St in Dec 2006, just as UNISON released the results of its 2006 national survey of health students. Autumn newsletter: A4625.pdf

Over the last six months the NHS Bursary scheme has been reviewed by a joint group including UNISON, the Department of Health and higher education institutes to ensure that the scheme complies with new age discrimination legislation.

Over the last six months the NHS Bursary scheme has been reviewed by a joint group including UNISON, the Department of Health and higher education institutes to ensure that the scheme complies with new age discrimination legislation.

(5/1/07) The attached autumn newsletter includes articles on the landmark legal victory for students' maternity rights, the review of the bursary system and agreement from the Health Secretary on free Hep injections.

(14/12/06) The attached Learning the Hard Way report on the outcome of the 2006 National Health Student Survey shows the spiralling debt and exhausting extra hours facing nursing and other healthcare students.

(21/09/06) The attached documents show the UNISON Scotland and UNISON responses to the Scottish Executive consultation on National Standards relating to Healthcare Support Workers in Scotland, which is running until 15 November 2006.

(21/09/06) In July 2006, UNISON wrote to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt to express our concerns that a very large number of overseas nurses, who are currently working in the UK, could be put at risk when their work permits are due for renewal as a result of the removal of Band 5 and 6 Nurses from the Government Shortage List. The file attached provides an update on migration in the wake of that decision by the Department of Health and Home Office.

(8/1/06) It has never been a more exciting time to enter nursing or midwifery. Nursing is not just about working in hospitals: today's nurses are employed in schools, clinics, voluntary organisations, prisons, and nursing and residential homes.

(7/1/06) UNISON and the Open University are working closely to bring learning opportunities to staff employed in the health and social care sectors. This relationship means that UNISON is now able to bring an important Open University course – Understanding Health and Social Care (K100) – into the scheme of learning offered to employers who work in partnership with the union.

Contacts

Home | About us | News | Campaigns | Get active | At work | Groups | Resources | Benefits | Contact us | Why join UNISON? | Help at work

U - official magazine for UNISON members - 6th highest magazine circulation in the UK

UNISON plus for Shopping Discount Service