Conference believes far too little has been done by the Department of Health and the devolved health departments to tackle the damaging deep-rooted “blame culture” within the Service. Despite the introduction of clinical governance the search for scapegoats often takes precedence over tackling the root causes of mistakes, and poor practice. This approach may actually […]
Conference motions
This conference believes that UNISON should campaign for NHS organisations to have parity with local authorities in recovery of VAT on new build projects. Local authorities are able to claim a full refund of VAT while the NHS is unable to recover a penny. This artificially enhances PFI contractors in relation to in-house NHS bids. […]
Conference notes that the challenges facing UNISON’s health sector have never been greater. Proposals for radical changes in pay are only the latest of a very long list of challenges we face – restructuring of employers, improving working lives, major changes in acute hospitals, mental health, and primary care, the involvement of the private sector, […]
This Conference notes that the government reneged on its undertaking to treat Community Health Council staff in the same manner as those affected by Shifting The Balance Of Power. This Conference calls on the Service Group Executive to demand the government stick to its promises in any future dealings with NHS staff.
Conference notes the introduction of P.E.C’s (Practitioners in Emergency Care). Conference also notes that: ·The present system encourages young, inexperienced graduates to become Paramedic Practitioners. This is an unsafe method of introducing additional staffing into the Ambulance Service; ·Budgetary concerns, funding and resource management issues mean that existing staff are denied the opportunity to access […]
Following the advice we received last year regarding the non-payment of enhancements when Nurses are sick due to an injury at work. It seems that Management and Staff Side have conflicting views. We insist that the SGE raise this issue with our Legal Department and the Department of Health as a matter of urgency, so […]
Conference welcomes the introduction of the National Care Standards Commission and the duty it has to raise standards across residential and nursing home care for people with learning disabilities and mental health illness. However, we have serious concerns about the way in which the Commission appears to have failed to consult with UNISON on a […]
Overseas Nurses are being let down by poorly designed and ill administered adaptation courses, particularly so in the field of mental health. The lack of national standards for adaptation programmes has resulted in many agencies offering so called adaptation programmes, which do not equip the nurse with the knowledge or skills to practice at a […]
The government, in the implementation of the NHS Plan, has highlighted the need for services to be designed with the patient at the heart. We believe that the role of the HCA has changed fundamentally over the last 10 years and even more so over the past 5 years. Yet barriers still remain in their […]
Conference recognises the importance of ensuring that, where health and social care services operating under a partnership arrangement are subject to review and a subsequent procurement process, members and activists working in the Community and Voluntary sector including Housing Associations must be properly consulted and involved for the entirety of the process where the Community […]
During more than thirty years of conflict in Northern Ireland Health Care workers delivered, without prejudice, care to all sections of the Northern Irish Community. Today as in other parts of Britain attacks on the health care team are becoming more frequent and more violent. These attacks against health care workers and in particular ambulance […]
This conference notes that the NHS Pensions Agency has contracted SEMA to provide medical advice on applications for ill health retirement. Conference further notes that there has been a widespread and systematic shift away from approving ill health retirement applications with cases which would have formally been accepted, being turned down on medical grounds. SEMA […]
Conference notes the establishment of new Primary Care organisations and the planned future expansion in Primary Care and Community Health facilities including, Primary Care Trusts holding approximately 75% of the NHS budget and taking on the role of directly providing services. Conference therefore agrees that organising in Primary Care Organisations and Community Health is a […]
The nursing sector welcomes the work that UNISON has done over the last 3 years to raise awareness on issues which effect-nursing students: specifically our campaign to return student nurses and midwives to salary and employment status. Whilst we recognise that entry figures are up in nurse diploma courses we believe that even more significant […]
This Conference believes that it is unacceptable for NHS staff to go to work and to be exposed to unnecessary risks of violence. Conference welcomes the Scottish Health Committee’s Zero Tolerance Campaign against NHS staff being assaulted at work. In particular Conference notes the 6 point action plan: 1.The Scottish Health Minister and NHS trade […]