Cash Releasing Efficiency Savings

This conference recognises that Labour has significantly increased funding for the NHS over the period it has been in power. We are extremely concerned, however, that the practice of forcing Trusts to make year on year “efficiency” savings of 3% is having a destabilising and damaging effect on many staff and the services they run. […]

Violence and Injury at Work

The Health and Safety Executive defines violence at work as any incident in which an employee / staff member is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work. But it’s also important to note that threats and verbal abuse can lead to physical violence and will contribute to the levels of stress for […]

Development for Health Care Assistants and Support Workers

Training and development is a major issue for Health Care Assistants / support workers. At a time when most NHS organisations are running out of cash, training and development is the first casualty in saving money, along with staffing levels; both are a potential time bomb. For the safety of our patients’ pathway in hospital, […]

National Collective Bargaining in the NHS

This conference recognises the concern that some NHS Foundation Trusts believe that the flexibilities in the NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook mean that they can ignore national agreements and collective bargaining arrangements. Conference also notes that some Trusts may also take these flexibilities as grounds to undermine key principles of partnership working, for example by […]

Preceptorship Payment

Conference is concerned that over 4 years after the implementation date for Agenda for Change there are still reports of employers failing to pay the preceptorship increment for new starters – many of whom will be young members – at Band 5 with a professional qualification. It is further concerned at reports that some employers […]

Ill Health Redeployment and Retirement

This Conference notes that the NHS Staff Council agreed to changes to Ill Health Retirement arrangements for staff in the NHS in 2008. This followed a consultation period lasting from 22 October 2007 until 21 January 2008. The Department of Health document “Managing Ill Health Retirement in the NHS – A Guide for Human Resources […]

Privatisation in the NHS

UNISON branches and members have been to the forefront of campaigns over the last two decades and more to keep our national health service public and have, when necessary and allowed, taken industrial action to maintain a public service with hardworking, fairly-paid, in-house employment. Successive governments, supposed economic think tanks, business organisations and senior managers […]