Pay Determination in the NHS

Conference recognises that the historic decision made at the 2007 Health Conference, to bring all health workers (except doctors) within the remit of the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB), was made after many years of non-clinical staff having their interests put in second place after clinical groups. The Pay Review Body (PRB), which previously covered […]

Tackling Health Inequalities in the NHS Workforce

Conference notes with approval that the NHS Health Trainer Programme is providing evidence of making significant inroads into tackling health inequalities. The programme provides 1 to 1 advice for individuals through practical motivational support on lifestyle changes. Health trainers provide a sustainable input into health improvement by training the individual to actively set their own […]

Fire Wardens, Risk Assessors and Health & Safety Representatives

This conference believes that a safe working environment is a right for everyone. There is a requirement under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health & Safety at Work Act 2003 and the Fire Scotland Act 2005 for employers to provide adequate resources to ensure that the workplace has taken […]

Three Tier Workforce

Conference notes with disgust that many NHS employers contract Security Services from Security firms which pay staff on the national minimum wage and/or zero hours contracts often with little continuity of base. Conference notes that it is difficult to organise successfully within these employers. Conference believes that NHS employers have a duty to ensure that […]

BNP Policy is incompatible with Nursing

Conference notes the threats to democracy and civil harmony posed by the posturing and mantra of the racist British National Party (BNP.) Membership of the BNP is wholly incompatible with public service, and this is especially so for Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors who have a unique role in caring for vulnerable people on a […]

A Return to Boom and Bust for the Nursing and Midwifery Workforce

The last decade has seen a significant increase in the nursing workforce; with a combination of new nurses trained, people returning to nursing, and massive overseas recruitment, whilst the opposite has occurred in midwifery. Back in 2006, due to financial difficulties in the NHS, vacancy freezes in a number of Trusts led to significant numbers […]

Keep the NHS Working

Conference notes that under the banner of Keep the NHS Working UNISON continues to campaign against the damaging effects caused by the marketisation of NHS services and the growing role of the private sector in delivering healthcare. This is particularly important at a time of global financial crisis where governments across the world have been […]

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, […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Conference recognises that the issue of violence against women is something that many women feel passionately about tackling. Women who are not politically active in other ways attend Reclaim the Night events or support local refuges. Therefore this issue should be used as not only a campaigning issue but an organising one as well. There […]