Dungavel

This Conference notes the horrific experiences that many people have of the immigration process in the UK and the role that the Dungavel Detention Centre in South Lanarkshire has played in this. This is not the only detention centre in the UK. Conference is particularly concerned with the experiences of the Lanarkshire Health Branch that […]

Branch Involvement in the Private Contractor Unit

This Conference notes the creation of the Private Contractor Unit at a Strategic Level within the National Office at UNISON. Whilst it is an important move to co-ordinate the work of various parts of the UNISON structure with our relationships with the various private contractors in the NHS and across the public services this Conference […]

Learning Disability Nurse Training

This conference is alarmed at emerging evidence that Learning Disability Nurse training is not being commissioned by Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) in certain parts of the country. We are convinced that there will always be a role for a registered nurse within this field of care. We are concerned, however, that because there is now, […]

Support Staff with Mental Health Problems

This Conference is extremely concerned at the lack of support and help given to staff who has suffered from mental illness problems which have occurred due to the nature of their work. Many of our members suffer mental health problems through attacks by patients this leaves them traumatised, frightened and sometimes mentally scared for life. […]

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 […]

Student Visa

Conference notes the issue of Student Visas to overseas nurses by British Embassies in various overseas countries, these applications in the main are being submitted by British Embassies by Agents who’s ethics are questionable. In most cases the applicant is being charged huge fees to have these applications processed by the Agents. Recruitment Agencies have […]

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

There have been a number of examples where management at Trust level have sought to undermine the “Partnership” arrangements for the implementation of AfC. This has led to a number of Staff Sides being excluded from negotiations on implementation of AfC. There have also been a number of examples where Trust’s have refused to implement […]

Privatisation of Sterile Services Departments

Last year’s health conference called for a halt to Department of Health’s (England) National Decontamination Strategy until full consultation had taken place with UNISON and other trade unions. It is clear that there has been no meaningful consultation and the Government and Department of Health are intent on pressing ahead with a strategy of privatisation […]

Overseas Nurses Network

Conference notes the success of the Overseas Nurses Network in Scotland and therefore should seriously consider the setting up of an Overseas Nurses Network in England and Wales and an Overseas Nurses Network in Northern Ireland, thus emulating the good practise of our brothers and sisters in Scottish UNISON. Such a formation of Overseas Nurses […]

Agenda for Change and the Two-Tier Workforce

Conference notes the strategy being pursued by the Health Group Executive and Private Contractors Unit to ensure Agenda for Change is implemented by private contractors. Conference is also aware of other pressure to end the two-tier workforce in health and that last year’s Composite J called on the Health Group Executive to negotiate a deal […]

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 […]

New Labour’s Continued Privatisation of the NHS

This Conference condemns the New Labour Government for its slice by slice privatisation of the NHS. In contrast with the extremely limited concessions on workers rights in the so called “Warwick Agreement”, New Labour has continued full steam ahead towards it’s goal of the full privatisation of the service. The latest gifts to big business […]

Cost of Living Supplements/High Cost Area Supplements

This conference notes that under the Agenda for Change Agreement, Cost of Living Supplements (COLS) are to be “re-expressed” as long-term Recruitment and Retention Premia. This measure simply perpetuates the fundamental injustice of COLS, which were introduced without negotiation in 2001, payable to nurses and other health professionals in some areas, but not paid to […]