Pay, Terms and Conditions

Conference notes that across the UK, Health workers are experiencing the effects of changes to the funding and organisation of the NHS and the structures for delivering healthcare. There are increasing differences in the way in which the four UK administrations choose to organise health care and in England there is increasing use of the […]

Organising Approaches in the NHS

Conference notes the recent pilot organising project in the Greater London Region and congratulates the region on their work to encourage different and innovative approaches to organising health workers. Conference notes that the project, based on the model used by the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers, highlighted the dedication of health workers to […]

Travel to Work

UNISON recognises the importance of all organisations playing their part in reducing the carbon footprint. Conference in particular notes and applauds UNISON’s “Greening the Workplace” campaign and in particular its work in promoting greener staff travel plans. UNISON notes the ·NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy and its commitment to reduce its emissions by 60 per cent […]

Nursing’s Public Image

Conference notes that some commentators have this year argued that the public has lost confidence in nurses, even to the point of suggesting that nursing has lost its way. These sentiments, if left unchallenged, are likely to taint policy developments, such as the Next Steps Review and associated activity to develop metrics to better evaluate […]

Mental Health Officer status and TUPE transfers

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 […]

Decommissioning of NHS Services

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 […]

Modernising Scientific Careers

Conference notes the Terms of Reference of the Modernising Scientific Careers programme oversight board agreed on 29 May 2008 as follows: 1.To oversee and provide the governance for the development of the UK strategy for modernising scientific careers in health. 2.To ensure that the Modernising Scientific Careers (MSC) programme is evidence-based and developed within the […]

Mileage Rates for Lease Car Drivers

This conference is concerned that many NHS Trusts and employers are not paying the HM Revenue and Customs’ advisory fuel rates for company cars/lease cars. These rates are reviewed every six months but many NHS staff did not receive the increased rate from July last year. We therefore ask that the Health Group issue further […]

Agenda for Change Recruitment and Retention Premia

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 […]

Protection of Special Officer status for disabled members

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 […]

Single Responder Ambulances

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. […]