- Conference
- 2022 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 10 December 2021
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes the huge impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, whether on staff working under stressful conditions, people isolated from friends and family by lockdown measures, the physical impact of the virus itself, and the continuing uncertainty due to changing and unreliable government advice and public health policies. Health sector staff have been on the frontlines of the pandemic response, often working in stressful and even traumatic working environments.
Conference notes the June 2021 study by Queen Mary University of London which found that 1 in 4 healthcare workers have sought mental health support during the pandemic.
Conference notes that UNISON surveys have found that young workers, Black workers and LGBT+ workers consistently report worse mental health outcomes as a result of the pandemic.
Conference recognises that mental health is a workplace issue which must be addressed by trade unions in negotiations with employers and by direct support for affected workers. We recognise the efforts made by health workers since the beginning of the pandemic and the importance of addressing workers’ mental health across the sector.
Conference asks the Health Service Group Executive to:
1. Promote UNISON’s updated bargaining advice on mental health to branches in the Health service group;
2. Encourage branches to share examples of good practice in employer policies and procedures, including occupational health services, employee health and wellbeing programmes and employee assistance programmes;
3. Encourage and support continued recruitment of health and safety representatives across the sector, and promote UNISON’s Be On the Safe Side campaign to branches in the Health sector;
4. Promote UNISON’s Learning and Organising Service (LAOS) resources on mental health in the workplace to branches.