Older People and Loneliness

This conference calls on the National Retired Members’ Committee (NRMC) and requests the National Executive Council (NEC) to liaise with other agencies to raise awareness of loneliness and its affects in particular, on older people. Loneliness often comes about as a result of the lack of transport in rural areas together with the lack of […]

POST OFFICE CARD ACCOUNT

This conference instructs the National Retired Members’ Committee (NRMC) and calls upon the National Executive Council (NEC) to raise awareness, by any means at their disposal, to the pending threat of the removal of the Post Office Card Account (POCA). This account is used by thousands of pensioners and less able people as a safe […]

Intergenerational Commission

This conference rejects the proposals contained in the Resolution Foundation think tank’s report of the intergenerational Commission, chaired by Lord David Willetts (nicknamed Two Brains), titled “A New Generational Contract”. Conference further rejects the myth of generational unfairness on which the report is founded, and which masks the fact that the real unfairness is based […]

WINDRUSH

Conference is appalled at the Windrush scandal and the treatment of too many of the British citizens affected. In particular Conference is concerned for the many retired people and pensioners caught up in this controversy whose status and rights as British citizens have been erroneously called into question. Conference recalls that Caribbean people were invited […]

Protection of Non-Registered Clinical Grades from Exploitation

Conference notes that due to the policies of the Coalition and recent Conservative Governments that the training of registered members of Healthcare staff is in a precarious state. An effect of the Government’s abolition of the bursary for Students has led to a substantial fall in the number of applicants for the Nursing degree. According […]

Long working hours and the impact on health and well-being

Conference recognises that there is an increasing amount of our healthcare members working shifts of 10-12 hours plus. There are a variety of reasons why staff are working these shift patterns. For some it is a matter of personal choice and allows them to balance work and life commitments such as caring responsibilities. However, for […]

Stress and the staffing crisis

Conference notes that stress in the workplace is a long standing problem for NHS staff, and research (Hannah Flynn 2016) indicates that almost 9 in 10 practice nurses, GPs and other primary care workers find their work life stressful, leading to some to have suicidal thoughts. Conference believes that health staff are in responsible positions […]

Racism in the NHS

Conference notes that those who work in our NHS come from across the world with different experiences, backgrounds and beliefs, working together to deliver the best services possible. Conference believes that there is no room for racism in the NHS, yet unfortunately is aware of an increase in racist incidents following the EU referendum last […]

Mental health

Mental health services have been underfunded in the UK for a number of years, having a negative impact on both staff and service users. Funding cuts mean that teams are often under resourced, with staff working long hours and struggling to deliver the highest levels of care. Service users are left on long waiting lists […]

Protect NHS staff against violence and aggression

Violence and aggression against NHS staff should never be tolerated. In England, some 70,555 NHS staff were assaulted in 2015/16, up four per cent on the previous year. Similar levels of violence are reported in the devolved nations. These assaults can have a catastrophic effect, not only the physical impact of the injury, but also […]

The NHS at 70

Conference notes with pride that our National Health Service celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2018. As this milestone is reached the diversity of the NHS workforce should be a theme for public celebration. Conference notes that 1948 was also the year that the Windrush brought 492 migrants to the United Kingdom in what became known […]

Pay restoration in Northern Ireland

Conference notes that workers in the NHS in Northern Ireland are currently in a pay deficit. All Agenda for Change pay bands are affected . The facts tell the story of a widening gap affecting not only current earning but pensions will also be poorer. At the end of 2017 a Band 2 worker at […]

Disability leave

Disability leave is time off from work for a reason related to someone’s disability. It is a type of ‘reasonable adjustment’ which disabled workers are entitled to under the Equality Act 2010. Conference is aware that there is still inequality for many of our disabled members and they continue to be treated unfavourably at work. […]

Recognition for Operating Department Practitioners

Conference notes that Operating Department Practitioners have been working within the NHS for over 50 years under varying titles. ODPs have only been regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council since 2004. Conference further notes that there are over 13,000 registered ODPs and they are a valued member of the multi-disciplinary team, they are […]

Disability awareness training

Conference recognises that there is a lack of disability awareness training for managers and is concerned about the impact this is having on disabled members in health branches and employers. There continues to be a lack of understanding of the needs of disabled employees in the workplace leading many employers to fail to make reasonable […]