Conference motions

DECONTAMINATION STRATEGY Submitted by Eastern Regional Health Committee This conference expresses the greatest concern at the late involvement of UNISON in the “National Decontamination Strategy “ described in Health Circular HC/17/04 to branches on 10th March 2004. It appears from the information contained in the circular that decisions have already been made on future strategy […]

Agenda for Change, if accepted, will completely change the structure of the NHS, and all the historical Whitley staff group demarcations will disappear. The way that UNISON Health members are organised will need to respond to this change. UNISON should grasp the opportunity to review the way in which it can best represent its members’ […]

Conference notes that despite a wide range of positive initiatives to recruit staff there is still a shortage of staff working in the NHS. Positive recruitment initiatives only partly meet the challenging needs of the NHS. Retention of staff is equally if not more important in maintaining service delivery and continuity of staffing skills and […]

This Conference is deeply disappointed that the Government won a narrow majority to establish Foundation Trusts. However it believes that the strong campaign of opposition led by UNISON at all levels of the organisation achieved significant concessions from the Government. The NHS continues to face significant attacks from the privateers both within and outside of […]

Conference is concerned that access to training and education for “non-professional” staff is very limited or in reality non-existent in some workplaces. All staff in the NHS are important and essential to the delivery of services in the NHS. Therefore all staff should have equal access to training and education. Staff classified as “professional” are […]

Conference welcomes the increased opportunities in certain areas for existing staff to undertake Nurse Training as part of a secondment opportunity. This Conference believes that by utilising the skills and experience of existing health workers all of the NHS will benefit with increased recruitment and importantly retention of Nursing Staff. This Conference however notes with […]

This Conference is deeply concerned at the levels of membership amongst Senior Managers in Health branches. UNISON is rightly proud of being the major public sector union and in representing all grades of staff. However research shows very low levels of membership density amongst Senior Managers. We call upon the Health Group Executive to: 1.Work […]

Conference is increasingly concerned at the exploitation of migrant Health workers, which is taking place in Health Services in the UK. We recognise that the NHS has taken significant steps to address the exploitation and we welcomed the guidance, which was issued in 2003. However, during 2003 an estimated 40,000 overseas nurses applied for nursing […]

Conference deplores the cost cutting measures employed within NHS Hospital and Primary Care Trusts which have resulted in falling staff levels in wards, departments and community services throughout the Health Service. Low staffing levels result in increased ill health absences which only exacerbates the situation for those staff still at work. Moreover, staff are often […]

Conference welcomes the introduction of greater co-operation and joint working between health and social services as demonstrated by the introduction of Children’s and Older Persons/Adults trusts. Many of our members already work in integrated service under Section 31 funding arrangements or through other joint funding regimes on a variety of secondment or other employment arrangements. […]

Under AfC the lowest spine point in Band 1 falls below the level of half male median earnings. All points in Band 1 fall below £6 an hour. UNISON’s submission to the Low Pay Commission asked for a minimum way of £6 an hour. In many areas UNISON branches have negotiated minimum rates for ancillary […]