STAFF SHORTAGES AND EXCESSIVE WORKLOADS

The NHS Staff Survey, the everyday experience of UNISON members and representatives, and the continuing increase in work-related stress all show that one of the most widespread problems faced by UNISON members is the issue of excessive workloads and shortages of staff. These problems occur across all staff groups, both in direct delivery of patient […]

PART OF THE TEAM – RECOGNITION FOR CLEANERS IN THE NHS

Conference recognises and welcomes the ongoing campaign to gain recognition for cleaners in the NHS as part of the healthcare team. Initiatives such as the successful UNISON Cleaners Conference 2009 and Clean Hospitals Committees help raise the profile of Cleaners and demonstrate how they play an integral part in patient safety and care. UNISON sponsored […]

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE BOARD

The Bury St Edmunds & District Health Branch of UNISON applauds NHS Bedfordshire for balloting its staff on their proposal to set up a Social Enterprise Board. NHS Bedfordshire needed 51% in favour of the proposal, but the staff had other ideas and responded with a magnificent 97% vote against, in a 98% turnout. Conference […]

DISABLED HEALTH WORKERS AND REASONABLE ADJUSTMENTS

This Conference is concerned to learn from the Disabled Members Self Organised Group that inappropriate attendance management policies and lack of understanding about legal duties under the Disability Discrimination Act to provide reasonable adjustments by the employer is resulting in disability discrimination against disabled members. In particular we are concerned that discrimination is leading to […]

SICKNESS ABSENCE AND THE NURSING & MIDWIFERY FAMILY WORKFORCE

This Conference notes the excellent work of UNISON’s Health & Safety unit including its guidance on compliance of sickness absence agreements with current legislation, including the Disability Discrimination Act, based on research by the Bradford University School of Management. However Conference notes that there appears to be a growing trend towards dismissals due to an […]

ANNUAL LEAVE USED FOR PHASED RETURN TO WORK

Conference notes the importance of a graduated return to work from long term sickness absence. Branch Officers and stewards regularly represent cases where a protracted absence is the result of bullying and harassment or due to a serious underlying health condition. In some cases our members require redeployment after sickness into a new position, and […]

MANAGING SICKNESS BETTER

Despite the excellent UNISON guidance booklet, ‘Making Us Better’, and Annex Z of the Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions handbook, many NHS employers have very punitive policies and procedures on managing sickness absence. These effectively mean that members can be disciplined for being off sick, in that they receive ‘warnings’ that if their attendance […]

HEALTH SERVICE GROUP STRUCTURES – BARGAINING SECTORS, OCCUPATIONAL GROUPS AND NETWORKS

Bargaining Sectors, Occupational Groups and Occupational Networks Conference notes the report Health Service Group Structures Review which sets out the changes to the Health Group constitution necessary to address the changes to Service Group structures agreed at National Delegate Conference 2009 and the revised sector/occupational group changes proposed by the Health Group Executive. Conference approves […]

NHS AND THE QUALITY & PRODUCTIVITY CHALLENGE

Conference notes the good work done by UNISON in their campaigns under the headings of ·A Million Voices for Public Services ·Pay Matters ·Keep the NHS working ·Positively Public. These campaigns have been essential in the primary care sector where the threat of privatisation has been the greatest under the Transforming Community Services agenda. The […]

PENSIONS – SALARY SACRIFICE SCHEMES WITH PRIVATE CONTRACTORS

Conference reaffirms its commitment in protecting members’ pensions, who face privatisation/outsourcing in the NHS or have already been privatised/outsourced during the life of this government. Conference notes the current present trend by private companies is moving to disband defined benefit pension schemes ( final salary schemes to its existing members), thereby raising the prospect of […]

BANK WORKING UNDER AGENDA FOR CHANGE

Walsall Hospitals Branch believes that many NHS employers are applying inconsistencies when using bank workers as a deliberate ploy to prevent the payment of overtime and unsociable hours payments enjoyed by NHS employees. NHS employers are engaging staff on separate bank workers contracts in order to avoid paying the appropriate AfC overtime rates. The Walsall […]

DOMESTIC ABUSE

Conference welcomes the support of the National Women’s Committee in addressing the issue of domestic abuse but there is further work to be done. This Conference calls on the National Women’s Committee to work with Regional Women’s Committees, the NEC and Service Groups to re-focus on the failure of many employers to develop workplace policies […]

BLACK WOMEN AND BREAST CANCER

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the UK. More than 45,500 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and the disease causes almost 12,000 deaths each year. Eight in ten cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in women over the age of 50. Black and Asian women are significantly more […]

DOMESTIC ABUSE TRAINING

This conference believes that domestic abuse training should become statutory in public sector organisations such as the Police, NHS, Local Government and Social Services and should become part of the workforce strategy. On average every week two women are killed in England and Wales by their partners or ex partners (Crime in England and Wales […]

MARY SEACOLE – TURN HER INTO STONE

In June 2009 a proposal to raise public funding to erect a monument to this positive black female pioneer and her significant achievements was aired on national television. The ambition to erect a statue of her “going forth”, to be sited in St Thomas’ Hospital grounds on the lawn opposite the Houses of Parliament, was […]