Two Tier Workforce

This Conference notes with delight the change of heart by this Labour Government on the two – tier workforce. However, Conference asks the Service Group Executive to make absolutely certain that the term ‘Local Government’ embraces Police Authorities.

Lack of Recruitment of Disabled Ethnic Minorities Within Police Staffs

This Conference is concerned that Disabled ethnic minority workers experience double disadvantage because of failures in recruitment processes within Police Staffs. Whilst there is a drive to recruit ethnic minorities within the police, there is no focus on targeting disabled ethnic minority staff. Many forces appear to have taken no initiatives to improve the employment […]

Removal of Mandatory Punitive Sanctions

This Service Group Conference instructs the Police Staff Service Group Executive to take the necessary steps through PSSC, ACPO and HMIC to work towards the removal of mandatory punitive sanctions, when used as part of managing attendance policies. Such punitive measures as bans on overtime, promotion and career changes. This would remove the principal inherent […]

Homophobic Harassment

Conference notes that: 1)harassment of lesbian and gay workers in the police service continues to be a major problem; 2)one tactic is use of the media to smear lesbian and gay workers, such as happened with Commander Brian Paddick; 3)often local papers and radio stations run such stories or carry letters attacking the dignity of […]

Criminal Records Bureau and “Disclosure”

Conference notes: 1)The importance of ensuring that young people and vulnerable adults are protected from members of society who may wish to cause them physical, mental or sexual harm; 2)That the Government has introduced the “Disclosure” process in order to achieve these aims; 3)We continue to support the Government in achieving these goals. Conference believes […]

Assaults on Ambulance Staff

This conference is extremely concerned to note the continuing and increasing incidence of assaults on Ambulance Staffs. It welcomes the Government’s zero tolerance campaign aimed at reducing violence towards NHS staffs in general, but notes that frontline Ambulance Staffs remain particularly and unacceptably vulnerable. It therefore calls for a greater degree of consistency of approach […]

Early Retirement for Ambulance Staffs

This conference notes the failure of successive Governments and NHS employers to introduce an early retirement position for frontline Ambulance staffs. It notes that nearly 70 per cent of these staffs retire by the age of 55 because of work-associated ill health and burnout. Many of these staffs are incapable of finding alternative employment as […]

Lesbian and Gay Workers Rights

Conference notes that on 1 December 2003, Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations will come into force. Conference welcomes the new legislation, which will make it unlawful to discriminate on grounds of sexual orientation in employment and training. From this date, there will at last be an equivalent level of protection against discrimination and harassment on […]

Promoting Equality in Healthcare Delivery

Conference welcomes the provisions of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 which place a positive duty on all public health bodies to eliminate unlawful discrimination, and promote equality of opportunity and good race relations in all their functions. Conference believes that these provisions should be extended to cover all discrimination grounds to give a legislative […]

Building Strong Branch Organisation – Partnership Working and Staff Involvement

The issue of staff involvement has never been more important. The NHS is undergoing a radical shift in both structure and culture as it moves the balance of power from the centre to the frontline. If we are to succeed in moving decision making to frontline staff, we need to ensure that we have effective […]

NHS Financial Flows

This Conference notes with serious concern the Government’s plans for a new financial framework within the NHS, as outlined in the DOH consultation document, NHS Financial Flows – Introducing Payments By Results. These proposals set out plans to fundamentally change the way that funds flow through the NHS. They will have profound and potentially serious […]

Operating Department Practitioner Bursuries

Conference notes the Department of Health decision to introduce bursaries for ODP trainees. We believe this is a retrograde step, which adversely affects recruitment at a time of acute staff shortages and when Ministers are seeking an increase in ODP numbers. The introduction of bursaries radically cuts the incomes of students and removes their employment […]

NHS Individual Learning Accounts and Contracted Staffs Access

In recent years the government as part of its life long learning initiative introduced NHS individual learning accounts. These accounts are available to any NHS employee who does not hold a relevant professional work related qualification. The account is worth £150.00 and can be used to provide work-related learning. The learning opportunity can be provided […]

Temporary Injury Allowance for NHS Staff

Conference at a time when NHS staff suffer injury as a direct result of assault and are absent from work for some time, they often suffer financial detriment. At present Temporary Injury Allowance is paid @ 85% of average earnings based on the previous twelve months. This is a significant drop in earnings at a […]

Blame Culture within the NHS

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 […]