This Conference notes that the recruitment and retention premia relating to posts specified in table 19 of Annex R of the Agenda for Change (AfC) Terms and Conditions handbook is applicable for the “transitional period” and that section 18 of Annex R provides for future reviews of the guidance. Conference calls on the Service Group […]
Conference motions
This conference is mindful of how many NHS staff are now being transferred to the private and voluntary sector under “contestability” and “decommissioning.” In mental health and learning disability services this is further complicated by the number of staff who may still hold Mental Health Officer (MHO) status which allows them to retire at 55 […]
This conference recognises that Labour has significantly increased funding for the NHS over the period it has been in power. We are extremely concerned, however, that the practice of forcing Trusts to make year on year “efficiency” savings of 3% is having a destabilising and damaging effect on many staff and the services they run. […]
This conference is appalled at a recent suggestion by the Department of Health officials, as reported in the Health Service Journal, that the measure of success for commissioners should be how many NHS services they have managed to “decommission” and award to alternative providers such as the private or voluntary sector. We see this as […]
This Conference notes with concern that in cases where reasonable adjustments to role for disabled people are not possible, and subsequently those people are moved into a role that does not qualify for special officer status, NHS Pensions remove their special officer status. We believe this is direct discrimination against disabled members because of the […]
This conference recognises the concern that some NHS Foundation Trusts believe that the flexibilities in the NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook mean that they can ignore national agreements and collective bargaining arrangements. Conference also notes that some Trusts may also take these flexibilities as grounds to undermine key principles of partnership working, for example by […]
Conference is concerned that over 4 years after the implementation date for Agenda for Change there are still reports of employers failing to pay the preceptorship increment for new starters – many of whom will be young members – at Band 5 with a professional qualification. It is further concerned at reports that some employers […]
UNISON branches and members have been to the forefront of campaigns over the last two decades and more to keep our national health service public and have, when necessary and allowed, taken industrial action to maintain a public service with hardworking, fairly-paid, in-house employment. Successive governments, supposed economic think tanks, business organisations and senior managers […]
This Conference notes that the NHS Staff Council agreed to changes to Ill Health Retirement arrangements for staff in the NHS in 2008. This followed a consultation period lasting from 22 October 2007 until 21 January 2008. The Department of Health document “Managing Ill Health Retirement in the NHS – A Guide for Human Resources […]
This conference notes with concern the policy being adopted by many ambulance trusts of sending a lone ambulance practitioner as an initial response to most emergency calls rather than a traditional double crewed vehicle. This system, known as “the front loaded model” is being initiated in response to the increasing resource pressures on Ambulance trusts. […]
This Conference calls upon the National Women’s Committee to work with the National Young Members Committee to highlight the importance of young women becoming members of a pension scheme. As women we need to ensure that young women are aware of the benefits of paying into a pension scheme at the earliest opportunity, so as […]
National Women’s Conference applauds the work carried out by the National Women’s Committee in relation to domestic violence. However, the current monitoring system as decreed by the Home Office does not take into account those aged under 18 who are perpetrators of domestic violence. For example as a result of the current monitoring process, a […]
Since 2006 when the Sandinista Government returned to power in Nicaragua a law prohibiting abortion was introduced. This made abortion even on medical grounds or as a consequence of rape illegal. For one hundred and thirty years Nicaraguan law allowed a woman to have an abortion when her life or health was in danger from […]
Following the fall of the Taliban government in late 2001 women in Afghanistan have in theory more freedom and equality. In reality, however, the plight they face is much different. Women in Afghanistan still face forced marriage, abuse, the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and an eighty eight per cent illiteracy rate. Women […]
Conference welcomes the closer working together of the self organised groups and young members through the Equality Liaison Committee. There are many cross cutting issues which affect women in different ways and this needs to be addressed on a joint basis. However, conference is concerned that this joint working may be the first step towards […]