Protect Health Workers’ Freedom of Speech

Conference condemns recent attempts to gag workers’ rights to talk to the media about Trust budget cuts, e.g. by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Conference believes that individuals have a right to raise concerns which are covered by the Public Interest Disclosure Act. Furthermore Trade Unions have collective freedom of speech concerning […]

National Blood Service Policy on Men who have sex with Men

Conference notes 1.The National Blood Service (NBS) collects, tests, processes, stores and issues 2.1 million blood donations yearly; 2.Potential donors are asked if they are member of a community at higher risk of contracting HIV/Aids – communities that include men who sleep with men, people who have had sex in Africa and intravenous drug users. […]

Cuts, Closures and Deficits

Conference is deeply concerned about the deficits being experienced by many NHS Trusts. In 2004-5, the NHS in England was overspent by £250 million, and estimates by researchers and academics have suggested a funding deficit of more than £1 billion for 2005-6. As a result, NHS Trusts have been ordered by the Department of Health […]

Private Contractor Staff – Bring them Back In-House

This Conference welcomes the recent framework agreement extending Agenda for Change to contracted-out staff. Conference further notes that there is now no financial advantage for those services to remain out of the NHS. Health Conference believes that this is an opportunity to bring those services back into the NHS and this opportunity should be seized. […]

Tackling Violence Towards NHS Staff

This Conference affirms that violence and aggression toward NHS staff is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Recent statistics show that the level of violence is worryingly high. All too familiar are the shocking reports we hear from nurses, paramedics and other health workers that they have been assaulted, punched, kicked, spat at and […]

Commissioning a Patient Led NHS

Conference applauds UNISON’s campaign opposing the changes outlined in Nigel Crisp’s letter of 28 July 2005 “Commissioning a Patient Led NHS”. This has included: ·UNISON’s successful motions to the TUC Congress and to the Labour Party Conference ·Working through the Labour Link in order to achieve an Early Day Motion, signed by 120 MPs, calling […]

Health and the Community & Voluntary Sector

Conference notes the important historical role the community and voluntary sector has provided in shaping public services – not as an alternative for directly-employed public sector workers, but as an innovator, working with the NHS and campaigning for new ideas and ways of working. In the last five years, since the 2000 National Delegate Conference […]