Health Care

Pathology services

UNISON represents all grades within the UK's pathology services - clinical scientists, biomedical scientists, medical laboratory assistants, cytology screeners, phlebotomists, managers, administrative staff and other support staff.

We are actively involved locally and nationally in seeking to improve pay, terms, conditions and safety of pathology staff as well as responding to the current raft of initiatives such as 'modernisation' with its numerous implications.

About pathology services and UNISON

Pathology services are a crucial part of the NHS but until recently were largely ignored in discussions about the future of the NHS service. Concerns around recruitment and retention of staff, workforce planning, low morale were hardly mentioned outside laboratories. Indeed the NHS Plan for England, for example, almost entirely ignored the role of scientists and technicians in delivering and improving health services.

This has slowly changed in the last couple of years. There is now an HR strategy for scientists and technicians in England in which pathology staff play a central role.

Recent Whitley pay awards, whilst still inadequate, have made some recognition of the pathetic pay many pathology staff get.

Plans to reorganise, rationalise and "modernise", and in some cases privatise, pathology services are being developed across the UK. In Scotland, Northern Ireland and England major documents have been issued which will lead to large-scale change in individual trusts.

UNISON has members across all occupations within pathology services.

CONTACT DETAILS
• For urgent help and advice at work to go Help at work
• Karen Jennings is the head of the UNISON Healthcare team:
UNISON Healthcare
1 Mabledon Place
London WC1H 9AJ
Email: health@unison.co.uk