Trade Union Representation on Foundation Trust Boards

Doncaster & District Health Branch firmly believe that the current basis of the composition of Foundation Trust Boards is not conducive to good partnership working as Trade Union Representatives are not allowed on these Boards in any formal capacity. Guidelines issues by the Department of Health confirm this position and the branch is concerned that […]

NHS STAFF WORKING FOR PRIVATE CONTRACTORS

The NHS has many staff at every level, up to and including Executive Directors and Chief Executives, who work for or have interests in private healthcare providers. This is particularly relevant in the ambulance sector. Private healthcare providers who actively compete for and win Patient Transport Services contracts in England, have been historically staffed by […]

Car Parking Charges : No Charges in our NHS

Increasingly workers in the NHS face car parking charges as a ‘tax’ for working in an essential public service. We should start with the premise that parking should be free. Conference, therefore, seeks the issuing to branches of a negotiating guide and a national campaign on car parking based on the following principles (to be […]

Devolution and the Functioning of the Service Group Executive

Conference proudly acknowledges that the activists and staff who support our health members at UK, regional and branch levels are second to none in their commitment, knowledge, skill and expertise. Conference recognises the enormous amount of work that has been done for the benefit of our members and UNISON in the face of huge challenges […]

Embedding the Knowledge & Skills Framework

Conference notes that the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework is an important part of Agenda for Change. It provides a single, consistent, and explicit framework for annual review and development of staff, and is the driver for pay progression. The KSF gives staff a contractual right to access learning and development opportunities and thereby provides […]

Equalities

In the last five years the government has worked hard to introduce an unprecedented amount of legislation on equalities seeking to bring about an end to discrimination. However, despite these measures, many organisations are still failing to achieve their minimal compliance measures such as having an equality scheme and action plan on their web site, […]

Primary Care

Conference is concerned about the high levels of uncertainty and change continuing to take place in primary care across the UK. Many of these hold major risks, not just to the employment rights and security of members, but for the future of the NHS as a publicly owned and operated resource, providing healthcare free to […]

Protection of Lone Workers in Community Healthcare

Conference notes the vulnerability of community health care professionals whilst working autonomously in the community environment. The visibility of staff in uniform can lead to members of the public perceiving staff as carrying valuable supplies. The lack of protection for health professionals in this environment has resulted in staff being physically & verbally attacked, threatened […]

Darzi Report

Conference acknowledges that the tone and content of much of the report Our NHS Our Future is positive for the future development of the NHS and represents something of a shift in recent government policy towards healthcare provision. The vision presented by Lord Darzi of an NHS that is safe, personalised to individual needs, and […]

Rights of Trade Unionists to Speak Out

Recognising the disgraceful attacks in 2007 on the rights of trade unionists to speak out about service cuts, privatisation and detrimental service changes, this conference calls on the Health Service Group Executive to, through the NHS Staff Council, seek to negotiate a national agreement which protects this right. Conference is concerned that currently where a […]

Access to Learning and Development

Conference notes the re-launch of the Knowledge and Skills Framework which accompanied the 2007 pay settlement for England. Conference recognises that the original intention of KSF was to provide learning and career development for all NHS staff rather than a small proportion of staff using the majority of the training budget. At a time when […]

NHS 60th Anniversary Celebrations

Conference notes that 5 July 2008 marks the 60th Anniversary of the creation of the National Health Service. When the UK’s National Health Service came into operation in 1948, it was the first time anywhere in the world that completely free healthcare was made available on the basis of citizenship rather than ability to pay. […]

The Bicentenary of the Transatlantic “Slave Trade” Legacy

Conference will be aware that 2007 was the year of commemorating the beginning of the end of enslavement of Afrikan people. There was a wide range of remembrance events taking place in the UK. Many, however, missed the fact that it was only the transatlantic trade that ended 200 years ago. This probably increased the […]

Use of Disciplinary Procedure Against Black Staff

This National Black Members’ Conference notes that there is a disproportionate amount of Black members and black UNISON activists who are subject to disciplinary procedures and victimisations within the workplace. This leads to the question of whether disciplinary procedures are being applied fairly and equally to all staff. A consequence of this is that the […]

Barriers to Progression and Promotions for Black Employees

This NBMC is deeply concerned that Black workers experience severe disadvantage in job promotion and career progression prospects. In line with UNISON’s objective of negotiating and bargaining on behalf of members and promoting equality, this NBMC asks NEC to work with the National Black Members’ Committee to: 1)Produce a report which collates statistics from each […]