Policing the Police – Domestic Violence Policies that Work

Conference recognises that domestic violence is not a new problem but worryingly the age-old crime is being allowed to become a forgotten statistic of the ConDem police cuts. Statistics show that cases of domestic violence dramatically increase in postcode areas where there is a lack of adequate social welfare support. Austerity measures have diminished household […]

Police and Justice Funding – 2015 General Election

Since the election of the coalition government in 2010 the police and justice budget has been disproportionally slashed which has had a severe impact on UNISON members both at work and within the wider community. Conference believes this unprecedented and imbalanced attack should not be allowed to continue and must be stopped when a Labour […]

Domestic Abuse

The recent Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary report dated 27th March 2014 into Domestic Abuse did not highlight any issues concerning the cost of service delivery around domestic abuse. The Report has failed to take into consideration Government Cuts and the impact this is having on the ability of Forces to adequately fund and staff […]

Health, Safety and Well-being of Police and Justice Members

Conference notes with grave concern the impact which the Government’s austerity measures are having on the health, safety and well-being of our members in police, probation and Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS). Conference notes that: 1) 20% cuts to policing have led to the reduction of nearly 20,000 police staff across […]

Post Incident Management and the role of the UNISON Steward

Conferences notes that the growth of professionalism and membership of Police Staff across the Police Service has led to an increased risk liability in terms of litigation and investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission in relation to deaths or serious injury resulting from police contact. Police staff fulfil many front facing roles such as […]

Post Incident Procedures

Conference notes that the Service Group arranged, last year, a workshop facilitated by Thompson’s Solicitors at Conference at Brighton to discuss Post Incident Procedures (PIP). This recognised the significant impact and increasing number of instances where Police Staff are involved and/or affected by these procedures in the immediate aftermath of a serious incident and in […]

Privatisation of Police & Probation Services

This Government and likely future Governments agendas for shrinking the State and privatising Police and Probation services is resulting in our members being employed by private companies. The effect of this is the fragmentation of UNISON branches in the Police & Justice sector which will make it increasingly difficult to organise, support, recruit and retain […]

Privatisation of Probation Services

Conference expresses concern at the actions of the Secretary of State for Justice, in the preparation of the probation service for sale under the mantra of Public is Bad, Private is Good. This has: 1)Seen around 50% of a public service being transferred to a CRC (Community Rehabilitation Company) and ultimately the private sector which […]

Police Performance and Statistics

The ‘Peelian principles’ describe the philosophy that Sir Robert Peel developed to define an ethical police force. This philosophy is commonly known as policing by consent. In the British model of policing, police officers are citizens in uniform. They exercise their powers to police their fellow citizens with the implicit consent of their fellow citizens. […]

Volunteer Community Support Officers

Conference is extremely concerned that Lincolnshire Police have introduced the first Volunteer Police Community Support Officers (VPCSOs) in the country. This is despite Lincolnshire Police losing 4.7% of their paid Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) during the period 2010 to 2013. Conference notes that Volunteers are not accountable to the public in the way paid […]

Supporting Outsourced Members

Conference notes the continuing trend for NHS Trusts to outsource services such as Learning Disability Services, to companies such as Thera, Creative Support, and others. Increasingly members who are transferred to such organisations under TUPE, have seen serious attacks on terms and conditions. In some cases, the transferred staff, on protected NHS terms and conditions, […]

Registration for Healthcare Assistants

HCAs feel undervalued and under the spotlight. HCAs perform one of the most important caring roles; they provide the frontline fundamentals of care, including bathing, helping vulnerable people to eat and go to the bathroom with dignity. Statistics show that HCAs and other support worker roles deliver up to 60% of direct patient care and […]

Protecting and Promoting Equality in NHS Pay and Conditions

Both the UK government and all devolved governments in the UK have a statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity. Most recently the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) concluded that the UK Government had failed to take steps to ensure that there was even application of equality requirements. Agenda for […]

Privatisation, Franchising and Procurement

Conference notes the alarming expansion of privatisation within the English NHS. For example, the NHS Support Federation found that the private sector had won 21 of the first 25 NHS contracts awarded since April 2013, and it has been estimated that £5bn of NHS work is now up for grabs. Since the abolition of the […]

How We Want To Work – A Charter for the NHS Workforce

Conference recognises that in the run-up to the general election, all political parties will be setting out their policies on the NHS including the structures in the four countries and the ideological differences behind them; the different approaches to integration with social care, and outcomes for patients and the way that serious complaints are handled. […]