Defending public health services

UNISON members in Northern Ireland are on the frontline of defence of the National Health Service. The Tory-led coalition’s strategy in Great Britain to weaken the provision of good health care by extracting billions of pounds in cuts has set the template for the Northern Ireland Assembly’s response to the cut in the block grant […]

Equality, cuts and lip service

Conference believes that the Equality Delivery System is a national programme designed by the NHS Equality and Diversity Council (Now the NHS Personal, Fair and Diverse Council) to ensure NHS compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and to help reduce inequalities in health and the workplace. The Equality Delivery System aims to move responsibility for […]

Stonewall health equality champions

Conference believes Stonewall is the largest LGB (lesbian, gay and bisexual) charity in the UK. Stonewall has been instrumental in LGB campaigns over the last two decades on issues such as section 28, civil partnerships, adoption rights for LGB parents and campaigns for workplace protection based on sexual orientation. Stonewall has good communication with all […]

Transgender data – protect confidentiality and protect staff

Conference believes transgender people have an extra level of legal protection when it comes to data in regards to their identity. It can be a criminal offence to not secure a transgender person’s identity data that you have obtained in a professional capacity. A breach of duty in regards to transgender staff or patient’s data […]

Supporting the training needs of all health care staff

Conference notes with concern the many negative effects of the fragmentation of the NHS in England brought about by the NHS & Social Care Act 2012. Two aspects which have had less attention than some are the impact on NHS workforce planning and on training for NHS staff. Conference believes that if the NHS is […]

Registration fees

Conferences notes with concern the Francis Review’s recommendation that more health staff become registered with registrant bodies and is concerned that members who are suffering from the third year of a pay freeze could face an additional cost of registration fees. Conference therefore calls on the National Service Group Executive to mount a campaign for […]

Reform the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Recent times have witnessed a slew of criticism being laid at the door of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the regulator for nurses and midwives. To summarise but a few of these issues: i)The organisation was roundly criticized for striking off nurse Margaret Heywood for her role in covert filming of care that exposed […]

No to Postcode Pay

UNISON has argued strongly over the last year that moving towards regional pay will be damaging to local economies, to NHS patients and to our members. Conference continues to oppose regional pay for the following key reasons: i)Regional pay will drive down pay in lower cost areas of the country. ii)Regional pay will lead to […]

Promoting equality for trans workers in healthcare

Conference believes there is no place for transphobia or discrimination on the grounds of gender identity in our healthcare workplaces, society or our union. Conference notes with concern that transphobic discrimination and bullying and harassment of trans people is still far too common. Conference welcomes the examples of good practice that exist within healthcare. For […]

Defend disabled members’ right to work

This Conference is concerned to learn that there is increasing evidence of sickness management policies and capability procedures being used against disabled UNISON members. Disabled health members are of the view that employer policies and practices such as use of the Bradford Factor fail to reflect absences related to disability and can lead to instances […]

Defending the nursing profession

Conference notes that these are unprecedented times for the nursing profession. Across the UK nursing staff have faced attacks on not only their numbers but on their caring and compassionate skills. Depending on which newspaper you read it would appear that the nurses in general have turned into heartless unfeeling providers of care. Of course […]

Threats to Operational Services members

UNISON is the principal union for staff within operational services and we need to continue to increase the profile of operational services staff within our organising and campaigning work as these members are the backbone of our union and our NHS. Conferences acknowledges that operational services members are under attack like never before as the […]

NHS pay cartels – No to divide and conquer

Conference notes with concern that the South West pay cartel is being used as a mechanism for cutting NHS terms and conditions, including breaking national agreements, and offering local pay arrangements – for example by introducing 6 day weeks, offering additional hours and pay at a time of job losses. Conference notes that although there […]