Commissioning a Patient Led NHS

Conference applauds UNISON’s campaign opposing the changes outlined in Nigel Crisp’s letter of 28 July 2005 “Commissioning a Patient Led NHS”. This has included: ·UNISON’s successful motions to the TUC Congress and to the Labour Party Conference ·Working through the Labour Link in order to achieve an Early Day Motion, signed by 120 MPs, calling […]

Cuts, Closures and Deficits

Conference is deeply concerned about the deficits being experienced by many NHS Trusts. In 2004-5, the NHS in England was overspent by £250 million, and estimates by researchers and academics have suggested a funding deficit of more than £1 billion for 2005-6. As a result, NHS Trusts have been ordered by the Department of Health […]

Private Contractor Staff – Bring them Back In-House

This Conference welcomes the recent framework agreement extending Agenda for Change to contracted-out staff. Conference further notes that there is now no financial advantage for those services to remain out of the NHS. Health Conference believes that this is an opportunity to bring those services back into the NHS and this opportunity should be seized. […]

Tackling Violence Towards NHS Staff

This Conference affirms that violence and aggression toward NHS staff is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Recent statistics show that the level of violence is worryingly high. All too familiar are the shocking reports we hear from nurses, paramedics and other health workers that they have been assaulted, punched, kicked, spat at and […]

Health and the Community & Voluntary Sector

Conference notes the important historical role the community and voluntary sector has provided in shaping public services – not as an alternative for directly-employed public sector workers, but as an innovator, working with the NHS and campaigning for new ideas and ways of working. In the last five years, since the 2000 National Delegate Conference […]

Completing the Picture – Raising the Profile of Non-Clinical NHS Staff

Conference welcomes the campaign ‘Completing the Picture’ which aims to raise the profile of clerical, administrative and managerial staff in the NHS. This campaign, organised by UNISON with the NHS Confederation, won the support of 116 MP’s who signed an Early Day Motion in October/November 2004. The campaign pack features real people doing real jobs, […]

Associate Mental Health Practitioner

This conference is becoming increasingly alarmed at the introduction of a new worker called the Associate Mental Health Practitioner (AMHP) within a large mental health trust in the South East of England. The AMHP was originally introduced in response to a shortage of registered mental health nurses in that particular geographical area but is now […]

Mental Health Services

This conference recognises that much of the current mental health legislation dates back to the 1950’s and that even the most recent amendments to the Mental Health Act in 1983 are now seriously out of date. Many improvements to mental health services, particularly over the last 5 years, have necessitated a root and branch review […]

Unsocial Hours and Agenda for Change

Conference notes that negotiations are to continue later this year on harmonised unsocial hours payments under AfC. 1.Conference believes that unsocial hours payment should be directly linked to unsocial hours worked as in the current Whitley system; 2.Conference does not believe that the introduction of a percentage addition to basic pay, dependant on average unsocial […]

Funding for Back-Fill to Implement Agenda for Change

Conference notes that just prior to the Special Conference on Agenda for Change the Government announced £30 million would be made available to support the funding of back-fill for union activists to enable us to implement it properly. This was then clarified as being £15 million in 2004/5 and £15 million in 2005/6. Facility time […]

Back Door Cuts in NHS Funding

Conference notes that ‘recycling’ money, annual ‘efficiency savings’, ‘top-slicing’ for different purposes, ‘brokerage’ and multiple announcements of the same pots of new money have long been features of Government funding of the NHS. Making sense of the direct funding of individual Trusts has become a nightmare, even before variable, activity-based funding and PFI contracts are […]

Recruitment of Overseas Nurses and Carers

Conference notes the continued recruitment of Overseas Nurses and Carers into the Healthcare Sector of the United Kingdom and in particular those recruited to work in the Private Healthcare Sector. UNISON has been at the forefront of many initiatives to highlight the exploitation of overseas nurses, and a number of helpful initiatives have emerged. Despite […]

Agenda for Change

Conference notes that the Agenda for Change proposals were accepted in the ballot of UNISON members and are now being implemented. Acceptance and implementation do not mark the end of the process of negotiations on new terms and conditions and pay structure but only an interim stage. Conference affirms that UNISON regards Agenda for Change […]

Sector Committees

Conference notes that with the introduction of Agenda for Change and the demise of the Whitley Councils, UNISONS National Sector Committees come under the spotlight. Areas currently covered by National Sector Committees are: Administrative and Clerical Ambulance services Ancillary and Maintenance Nursing and midwifery Professional and Technical “B” PT “A” (Professions allied to medicine) Senior […]

False Allegations

Many of us have fought for years for equality in all areas. We have had some successes, including some excellent employment laws. However, these laws can sometimes be used against us and when they are there is very little in the way of information and support. Many of our members work alone with another female/male […]