Organising Nurses in UNISON

Conference recognises the excellent work being carried out by the Nursing Sector in regard to Nursing Students, Overseas Nurses and Health Care Assistants. However conference notes: 1.According to the union we have more qualified nurses in the union than nursing students or HCA’s, and qualified nurses make a massive contribution to the union through subscriptions, […]

Nurse Staffing Levels

Conference recognises that Health Service Trusts are experiencing difficulty in recruiting and retaining Registered Nurses and Auxiliary Staff and increasingly depend on Bank and Agency Nursing staff to provide cover. Furthermore Conference recognises that there is not an agreed National standard for nurse staffing levels with the exception of areas which require specialist practice. Conference […]

Agenda for Change

This Conference expresses its grave concern regarding the lack of information emanating from the Early Implementer Pilot Sites and UNISON’s consequent inability to monitor our areas of major concern, including:- ·Unsocial hours payments · ·Progression through “gateways” · ·Protection arrangements · ·Disadvantaged groups, e.g. those whose working hours will be increased · Conference therefore seeks […]

Training

This conference calls upon the SGE to use all avenues open to it to ensure that NHS trusts harmonise funding for training in the workplace between all professions and occupations in the NHS. This is essential if the NHS is to ensure suitably qualified staff will be available in the future in all occupational groups. […]

Health Professions Council

Conference notes with increasing concern the problems associated with the HPC processing applications for placement or renewal on its register. The high incidence of delays, apparent non-receipt or misplacement of applications and then inability to cope with resulting inquiries from occupational therapists as their registration/renewal date approached last November is of particular concern. Conference notes […]

Electronic Speed Traps – Effect on Emergency Vehicles

Conference notes with concern the effect on the ambulance service and other emergency services of the increasing use by local authorities of electronic speed traps. Such is the effect of these machines that ambulance services now employ scarce resources simply to deal with the administration of the paperwork generated when ambulances that are answering emergency […]

Ambulance Technicians

Most health professions have training and education programmes that lead to a single qualification and professional title. However, in the ambulance service the basic training for an emergency care practitioner qualifies you for the post of Ambulance Technician. To become a registered practitioner in emergency care and to use the title of Paramedic, authorized Technicians […]

Foundation Hosptials and Women

This conference deplores the creation of Foundation Hospitals, and is particularly saddened this initiative has been introduced by a Labour Government. Almost 80% of NHS staff are women, mainly employed in low paid jobs. Foundation hospitals will be able to offer their own pay and conditions to their staff, creating a two-tier workforce in the […]

Agenda for Change – NHS Staff Council – a flawed system

Conference notes with concern that hundreds of thousands of members of UNISON would be hugely under represented on the proposed Agenda for Change NHS Staff Council. We note that: 1.The new Agenda for Change NHS Staff Council is currently in shadow form; 2.On this body UNISON members have just 7 out of a total 34 […]

Fair Representation

Conference notes the lack of black disabled members in attendance. The number here is even fewer than at the last Conference in 2002. The Black Disabled Members’ Caucus expressed ongoing concerns and now calls upon the National Disabled Members’ Committee to liaise with the National Executive Council to take all necessary measures to ensure that […]

Rights of Caucuses

The members of the Lesbian and Gay Caucus are concerned at views heard around this venue, during the 2003 Disabled Members’ Conference, questioning the appropriateness of the rights of caucuses. In particular the view that caucuses should have no practical function within conference. As Disabled Lesbian and Gay Members we feel offended by these views. […]

Genetic Testing in the Workplace

Conference is appalled by the response to the recent research conducted by Genewatch UK into employers’ views about the use of genetic testing in the workplace. This research findings showed that despite their poor predictive value, many employers wish to use genetic test results and many research projects are seeking to identify people who are […]

Supporting Disabled Parents

Conference welcomes the research conducted by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that showed the common barriers that disabled people face in their role as parents. In particular we are concerned that public services fail to provide: 1)policies and services without consulting or involving disabled parents; 2)accessible advice and information including advocacy and peer support; 3)adequate services […]

Restoration of Earnings Link

Conference notes the intention of the Conservative Party, announced at its Conference in October 2003, to re-introduce the earnings link to state pension increases which they themselves had broken when in government. Conference calls upon the National Executive Council to press the Government, through the UNISON Labour Link, to implement the decision of the Labour […]

Pensions

In view of the recent Tory promise to restore the link, this Conference requests the National Retired Members’ Committee to urge the National Executive Council to press this Government, via the Labour Link, to do the same.