Mental Health Nurse Training

This conference wishes to express its extreme concern over the way in which mental health nurse training is currently organised. In many parts of the country student mental health nurses have to go through a core foundation year. This leaves them only two years to develop the skills and gain the experience and confidence they […]

Shift Working

This conference recognises that there is evidence that shows working rotating shifts, alternating and night shifts has an adverse affect on the physical, mental and social well-being of employees. Within the NHS there are many thousands of employees working these shifts and this number is rising. Conference realises that fatigue, sleeping difficulties, digestive problems, sleeping […]

Commissioning Mental Health Services

This Conference recognises that some time was needed before we could judge how the new commissioning arrangements were working following Shifting the Balance of Power. It has become increasingly obvious, however, that the commissioning process for mental health services is cumbersome, time consuming, adversarial and iniquitous. Many decisions are left until well over the commissioning […]

Funding of Agenda for Change Knowledge and Skills Framework

This Conference is concerned that the Knowledge and Skills Framework within Agenda for Change will be compromised if insufficient resources are made available for its ongoing implementation and reaffirms that personal development of the workforce is crucial in delivering a first class NHS. Conference calls upon the NHS Staff Council to seek assurances that this […]

Allied Health Professionals Student Debt

This Conference is aware that the burden of debt incurred by AHP students has not been adequately addressed despite previous calls by UNISON and other student representative organisations. The recruitment and retention of graduate AHP’s in the NHS combined with poor entry level pay continues to be undermined by the level of debt incurred during […]

Blood Service Forum

Conference is pleased to note that progress made by UNISON’s Blood Service Forum is implementing its union development plans for 2003/4 and 2004/5. In particular, Conference welcomes the increase number of UNISON’s Blood Branches that have given an improved voice for union members when dealing with the employer and also within UNISON. Conference notes that […]

Public Services

Public services can be seen as one of the last bastions of a socially collective and cohesive society; yet our Health, Education, Housing, Transport and Utilities Services are now subject to the volatility of market forces. Our Health Service was in the vanguard of public/private partnerships (PP’s) as set out under a Tory Government over […]

Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues in the Health Service

Conference welcomes the work carried out by the Health Group on issues affecting lesbians and gay men but believes that bisexual and transgender issues have not received sufficient prominence. Conference notes, for example, that transgender health workers face particular pressures, especially when working in clinical environments (in both clinical and non-clinical posts). Conference acknowledges therefore […]

Private Finance Initiative Not Included in Agenda for Change

Conference is concerned to learn that Private Finance Initiative employers are not included in Agenda for Change. It is well known that in many trusts a high proportion of Black and Ethnic Minority workers are employed in the PFI sector. Research has also highlighted that Black and Ethnic Minority workers are amongst the highest number […]

Race Relations (Amendment) Act and Implementation of Race Equality Schemes

Conference notes that despite the Race Relations (Amendment) Act (RRAA) and introduction of race equality schemes, employers are continuing to drag their heels and do little to implement positive action. The publication of league tables is still not transparent, in that the majority of employers are not publicising the results. The Department of Health has […]

Communications

This Regional Health Committee calls for a review of SGE reporting and communications with a view to improving information available to branches.

Work/Life Balance Organising Opportunities

Conference notes the initiatives being pursued by the various health departments to address recruitment and retention of staff, specifically around flexible working and other initiatives to enable staff to achieve a better work-life balance. UNISON has campaigned long and hard to address these issues on behalf of members and the timing of key initiatives such […]

Learning and KSF in Health

Conference is pleased to note the success of the work to create a learning culture in health branches carried out with support from Union Learning Funded projects across UNISON. To date since 2002 well over 750 learning advisers and reps* working in xx branches+ have been trained. Pilot branches in each region are trialling training […]