One Team One Say – which way on pay?

Conference notes that the OneTeam2k pay campaign shone a spotlight on the many issues and complications with the Pay Review Body as a way of determining the annual pay increase in the NHS. By the time we debate this motion at health conference 2022, UNISON’s Pay Determination discussion document will be launched, setting out the […]

Protect health workers from the staffing and workload crisis

Conference notes that in the decade leading up to the pandemic UNISON was vocal about the lack of investment in staff and services and the consequences that cuts would have on them. Our regular staffing survey documented the growing concerns about shortages among many health occupations and settings. So while the pandemic may serve as […]

The Workplace Disability Equality Standard (WDES): Two years on, a programme for action

Conference notes that the Workplace Disability Equality Standard is a list of ten metrics which measure the extent to which health Trusts in England deliver disability equality in the workplace. The first WDES report, covering 2019, was published in March 2020. The second WDES report, covering 2020, was significantly delayed and was not published until […]

Getting organised on flexible working and delivering homeworking policies fit for the future

Conference notes the work led by UNISON in all four administrations on flexible working including negotiating improved handbook provisions; negotiating updates to local flexible working policies; promoting workplace cultural change; and supporting members to access their rights. Conference commends the composite passed at special health conference in September 2021 which highlighted the crucial role that […]

Fair jobs for admin staff

Administrative and clerical staff are at the heart of making the NHS effective, efficient, and friendly. But for many years admin staff have been under attack. Some staff have had vital tasks removed from their job descriptions, resulting in downbanding, others have taken on more responsibility or skills but have not seen their pay increase […]

A proper rate of pay for NHS bank work

Conference is deeply concerned by the race to the bottom approach that is being taken across the country around pay and conditions for NHS bank work. Although, it is not the solution to the ever-growing staff crisis in the NHS, it is recognised that the flexibility that bank working arrangements provides is beneficial to some […]

Equality and diversity training for health staff

Conference is concerned that even before the COVID-19 pandemic the growing pressures on the NHS from the Tory-led government’s unrealistic targets and cuts, growing staff shortages and growing pressure on individual NHS staff members from the cumulative impact of austerity and the pandemic has taken us to breaking point. Despite the continued efforts of our […]

Just and Restorative Culture, a Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

Just and Restorative Culture is an employer initiative being rolled out through NHS England, focused around resolving cases at the informal level and reducing stress for those involved. The basic idea around Just Culture is to focus on the wider, systemic issues as opposed to the individuals. It began as a way of approaching patient […]

Parity in Access to Funds and Opportunities to Train and Develop

Conference notes that the NHS employs over 1.3 million staff who are not professionally registered. They are valuable and necessary to the provision of safe patient care. “Nursing, midwifery and care staff, working as part of wider multidisciplinary teams, play a critical role in securing high quality care and excellent outcomes for patients” (Excerpt from […]

Whistleblowing In The Private Sector

This conference believes that Freedom to Speak up policies and guardians in the NHS is a positive step toward improving quality and transparency within the NHS. Recent cases in private care homes and hospitals demonstrate that there is a need for similar roles and processes to be rolled out in the private sector that is […]

NHS Ambulance Uniforms

Conference notes the current NHS uniforms provided to emergency crews by most NHS Ambulance Trusts are not fit for purpose: • Too hot in summer, • Too cold in the winter • Not designed or suitable for different genders. The majority of uniforms are varying shades of green which blend into the background contrary to […]

Ambulance and Hospital Pressures

Conference notes that across the UK, NHS Hospital and Ambulance staff have been performing under incredible pressures due to the Pandemic and that over-crowded wards prevents emergency departments from moving patients’ forwards. This over-crowding also prevents NHS Ambulance crews from bringing their patients into the hospitals; instead, the crews remain outside with their often critically […]

Science, Therapies and Technical staff as drivers for change for a greener NHS

NHS staff have a significant role to play in helping the NHS to achieve its net zero emissions target by 2040 and we welcome the work that has been taking place which highlights how staff such as AHPs, healthcare science and pharmacy technicians can support environmental sustainability. If anything, COP26 has demonstrated just how ill […]

Domestic Violence is still a Workplace Issue

Conference recognises that a lot of work has been done in all 4 countries of the UK to raise awareness of Gender-Based Violence as a public health issue and to keep it on the agenda at a strategic level. Gender-Based Violence is an umbrella term that encompasses a spectrum of abuse experienced mostly by women […]

Supporting the AHP support workforce

Conference welcomes the work by Health Education England on developing the role of Allied Health Professions Support Workers. Their AHP support workforce programme has been established to provide national leadership and support on recognising, developing, and expanding the non-registered AHP workforce. Conference also welcomes the work that UNISON has been doing jointly with the professional […]