PFI Contracts

Conference is well aware of the Best Value regime and its rigorous requirements to Compare, Contrast, Compete and Consult. Conference is also aware of the number of contracts and services which have been externalised, outsourced or relocated. Let’s be honest they have been privatised. However, the rigorous examination ends when the privateers get their hands […]

Funding Fair Pay in Local Government

Local Government Conference notes that whilst both Central and the Welsh Assembly Governments have stated that they wish to see a fair and transparent pay and grading system in local government they have failed to take the opportunities, presented by recent amendments to local government finance, to passport money through to local authorities who are […]

NHS Pension Scheme – Ill Health Retirement

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 […]

Enforcement of the Pay not Poverty Campaign for Student Nurses and Midwives

This conference recognises nursing and midwifery students as valued members of our union. It sees the potential of working with nursing and midwifery student members during their training to ensure their continued membership throughout their careers. Conference acknowledges the work that has already taken place to campaign for a salary for student nurses and midwives […]

Integrated Care – Health and Social Services

This Conference reaffirms its policy of opposition to the establishment of Care Trusts, and in particular expresses its concern over plans to create specialised services in the form of Children’s Trusts and Care Trusts for elderly people’s services. This Conference is committed to the use of Health Act Flexibilities, including Section 31 Partnerships, as being […]

Community Health Council

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.

Health Service Strategies on Domestic Violence

Conference welcomes the publication of the Department of Health Resource Manual on Domestic Violence, which has been distributed to all NHS Trusts. Conference also welcomes the initiatives taken by the Scottish Executive to encourage health service employers to improve service delivery for those experiencing domestic violence. Conference reaffirms that a major dimension to service delivery […]

Violence and Aggression in the NHS

We welcome the work that has already been undertaken to raise awareness of violence within the NHS. The Governments introduction of zero tolerance is a good place to start but does not reflect challenges that the NHS faces today. In recent press we have seen nurses and healthcare support workers attacked in their place of […]

Substitute Sector Representatives on the Service Group Executive

This Conference agrees to amend the Health Group Structures document to allow for the provision of substitutes for Sector Committee representatives on the Service Group Executive Committee.

Right to Care Campaign

In November 2001, UNISON, with a number of other organisations, launched the Right to Care Campaign. The aims of the Campaign are as follows: 1)That the Government must introduce personal and nursing care that is free at the point of use and funded from general taxation; 2)That this care should be the entitlement of everyone, […]

Pensions

This Conference supports wholeheartedly Composite E which was carried at the 2002 UNISON National Delegate Conference. This Conference notes that we all rely on the pension earned during employment to provide a reasonable standard of living in retirement and financial protection for our families and partners in the event of death or ill health. This […]

Improvements in Communications

This Conference believes that existing means of communications between UNISON at a national level and branch retired members’ groups are practically non-existent. Conference strongly urges the National Retired Members’ Committee to take urgent remedial action to improve this situation. In particular, Conference requests that some form of regular publications such as the National Retired Members’ […]

Violent Attacks

Conference agrees that violent attacks on the elderly and people with a disability is now an every day occurrence, because the sentence for the crime is light and ludicrous. Conference requests the National Executive Council to give full support to the campaign that seeks from this Labour Government a statutory additional penalty against anyone who […]

Proposed Changes in Benefit Payment System 2003

During 2003, no exact date at present, the Benefits Agency is proposing to cease the payment of all state benefits, including benefits to pensioners, via the present weekly order book system. Instead, they intend to make payments to clients on a four week basis, direct into a bank account, thus removing yet another freedom of […]

Care Home Closures

This Conference condemns the fact that 700 long term care homes in England and Wales were closed during 2001 due to repeated loss of government funding. This Conference requests the National Executive Council, Affiliated Political Fund and other appropriate organisations to use their good offices with the current government to seek to reverse this trend […]