Redeployment in the NHS

Conferences recognises that dismissal or early retirement due to capability as a result of disability, is something that affects members across all service sectors, but it is noted that many members are able to remain in employment due to the obligation on employers to redeploy staff into suitable roles. However, most employers within the NHS […]

PFI

Conference notes that across the four countries there continues to be a profit driven agenda in terms of including PFI and outsourcing within the NHS. Whilst services in England are in immediate danger of privatisation we must not forget the services which have already been privatised and the staff that have transferred to the private […]

Protecting mental health amongst LGBT health care workers

Conference notes that discrimination is bad for your health – both physical and mental. Research published by Manchester Business School in 2014 found significantly higher levels of poor mental health amongst lesbian, gay and bisexual workers than non-LGB workers. The highest levels were amongst lesbian and bisexual workers. Studies of the experiences of transgender workers […]

Nursing and Midwifery Council Revalidation

Conference notes the pilot schemes for revalidation of registered nurses being run by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) within each of the four countries. Conference believes that the main aim of revalidation should be to protect the public from failures in nursing practice. It should not be a money making exercise by the professional […]

The NHS funding crisis and acute bed shortage

Conference notes that since the election of the Con/Dem government there has been continuous and sustained underfunding of the NHS. Furthermore, conference notes that there is increased pressure on the NHS from the ever increasing numbers that are accessing the service. As a result of increased attendance at emergency departments and as a result of […]

Health and Wellbeing

Conference welcomes incentives to improve the health and wellbeing of staff, conference is concerned that initiatives proposed by the four NHS systems are aimed at changing the behaviour of the worker rather than removing or reducing hazards in the workplace that can result in poor health. For example, in the ‘Five Year Forward View’ report, […]

Health Education England

Conference condemns the restructuring of Health Education England (HEE) announced in 2014, just over one after its establishment and linked to a £17million (20%) reduction in running costs. Conference opposes the 20% reduction in running costs which through its implementation means less jobs, a reduction of bandings for some posts and is unnecessary as £17 […]

Agile Working Should Not Damage Our Health

Conference notes that many health employers are encouraging and at times pressing members in community and many support services roles to work in agile, remote or home based ways, making greater use of IT and reducing both the number of times staff need to visit their base and the size and number of bases themselves. […]

Future Pay Claims/Evidence to Pay Review Bodies

Conference welcomes the decision of the 2014 Trades Union Congress to support the claim for a rise in the national minimum wage to £10 per hour. We believe that £10 an hour is a necessity for the millions of working people who have suffered years of wage restraint and inflation outstripping pay rises. Conference calls […]

Living wage in the NHS

Conference notes, at the time of writing, the failure of the Secretary of State, Jeremy Hunt to meet and negotiate with NHS trade unions in England on their pay demands as set out in the Staff side letter of 25th June 2014. Conference applauds the efforts of all sections of the health group in delivering […]

Parity for NHS Mental Health Services

Conference notes that although mental health is a significant part of the NHS, at least 20% of all activity, it is very under resourced. As a result staff working in mental health services are experiencing significant workplace stress as they struggle to provide high quality services to the detriment of staff health and wellbeing leading […]

Achieving a work life balance

Conference notes with concern that the goodwill of staff is being abused by managers to cover shortfalls in staffing. In particular there are concerns that staff are: 1) unable to take the necessary breaks in working hours; 2) not being paid for overtime worked; 3) being forced onto 12 hour shift patterns when they would […]

Use of Agency Staff

Conference notes with concern the increasing use of agency staff within the NHS to plug the gaps caused by sickness, unfilled vacancies and general staff shortages. In Wales alone, the cost of locum and agency staff in the last year was £14 million which accounts for 1.9% of the total NHS Wales budget. This is […]

Transforming Workplace Roles in the NHS

At a recent event organised through Clinical Commissioning Groups in Leeds, many NHS stakeholders including health, local authority, third sector and trade unions came together to discuss transforming roles in health and social care through integration. We were presented with NHS England’s Five Year Forward View. Amongst other things, this plan laid out the future […]

De-skilling the NHS Workforce – Running Down the NHS

Conference is deeply concerned the NHS workforce is being de-skilled in many areas. Previously agreed between the unions and employer Agenda for Change job description and person specifications are being ignored by NHS, wards, departments, clinics, etc, because they are unable to recruit employees with the qualifications, experience and competence the job description describes for […]