Access to learning, development and career progression for members working in Operational Services

Conference is concerned at the distinct lack of training, development and career progression opportunities available to NHS staff working in operational services roles, particularly those in pay bands 1-4. Investment and attention has always been focused on professionally qualified staff but in an NHS with ever changing ways of service delivery, operational services staff need […]

A fair deal for apprentices in the NHS

Conference notes that the NHS is employing an increasing number of apprentices. In England for example, there were nearly 15,000 apprentice starts in 2014/15 and Health Education England has set a target for the NHS in England to take on another 17,500 during 2015/16. This figure will increase further following the government’s recent introduction of […]

The NHS Funding Crisis

Conference is appalled at the ongoing under-funding of our NHS. Conference refutes the claims of the Westminster government to have protected the NHS from spending cuts. Conference asserts that since 2010 NHS spending has failed miserably to keep pace with the spiralling costs of healthcare caused by increased demand, an ageing population and expensive new […]

Pay determination across the UK

Conference welcomes the report of the Health Service Group Executive’s Devolution Working Group on pay determination across the four countries in the UK. Conference acknowledges that whilst responsibility for determining pay in the UK is a devolved function, UNISON remains committed to maintaining and improving pay for NHS workers across the UK. Conference believes the […]

NHS Tariffs and the impact on staff

Conference is concerned that the complex tariff system in operation in the NHS may disadvantage some services, and consequently our members that provide those services. The tariffs result in lower levels of funding for those services, leading to difficulty in recruiting; staff shortages; increased workload and less flexibility, thus impacting on the health and wellbeing […]

HOME VISITS

NICE recently recommended that home visits should be a minimum of 30 minutes. Conference calls on the HSGE to work with Government and NHS Employers to ensure this recommendation becomes the norm, and also to ensure staffing levels in the NHS are adequate so that Employers can implement such visits.

MOTION ON PAY FROM THE LONDON AMBULANCE SERVICE BRANCH

As organisations defending and promoting the interests of workers, pay is central to the function of Trade Unions. The achievement of the national NHS pay and conditions system, still known as Agenda for Change, represents a major development for UNISON, and for other NHS Trade Unions. The defence of this system and the lodging and […]

Increased Involvement of Consultancy Companies in the NHS

This Conference views with disgust, that the large consultancy, legal and accountancy firms have been increasing their financial turnover and profits from the public purse strings across the NHS. Trusts spending on them doubled between 2010 and 2014 to £640 million – enough to pay for three medium-sized hospitals. For all of 2014 the NHS […]

Encouraging More Women to be Active in UNISON

Austerity has resulted in severe jobs losses within the public sector and the disappearance of many essential services. As women make up a core part of the workforce, and are also the main users of many public services, they have been impacted disproportionally. It is therefore essential that women are at the forefront of fighting […]

What’s Europe ever done for us?

The government has announced that, by the end of 2017, they will conduct a referendum on whether the UK should remain within the EU. Conference acknowledges that years of recession, soaring unemployment, and lacklustre leadership have left the public with little faith in the EU and its ability to improve the lives of ordinary working […]

The refugee crisis

The government’s Immigration Bill is a draconian piece of legislation designed to criminalise and stigmatise immigrants and undocumented people. It is part of a wider, ongoing Government attempt to appear tough on immigration to an increasingly sceptical public. While millions of people were moved after seeing the washed up body of 3-year-old Aylan Kurdi, the […]

TAX CREDITS THE BEST WAY TO TACKLE IN WORK POVERTY

UNISON can be proud of the campaigning we have done to highlight and tackle the issue of in work poverty. The Worth It campaign took the message out to our communities and women members. Under the Government’s austerity measures it has been women and their families who have borne the brunt of their policies and […]

Appropriate Funding for Women’s Self Organisation

Conference notes with concern that constraints on branch finances are leading to some women not being encouraged or able to participate in women’s self-organised group activities. Conference notes with concern that financial constraints and controls at branch and regional level may be negatively impinging on women’s activism and as a consequence reducing the opportunities to […]

The true cost of childcare for Working Women

In the UK approximately 5.5 million working mothers of dependent children pay for child care. With increasing costs of childcare, other household bills and stagnant or reducing salaries, women are finding it harder and harder to stay in work. In the 2015 budget the government announced an increase of free childcare from 15 hours to […]

Equality, Power and Devolution

Conference notes that across the UK women remain massively underrepresented in the political and decision making processes that influence our lives, especially working class women. Conference further notes that women currently make up: o 29% of MP’s in the English Parliament o 40% of Welsh Assembly members o 35% of Scottish Parliament members o 19% […]