Pay Claim and Pay Submission for 2006/7

This Conference is critical of the way that the submission to the Pay Review Body and the drawing up of a pay claim for non-Pay Review Body staff were dealt with for 2006/07. The Staff Side evidence which was submitted to the Pay Review Body for 2006/07 did not comply with the policy on the […]

NHS Privatisation

Our NHS faces its gravest threat from Privatisation. The irony is that it is a Labour Government that seems intent on pushing Privatisation into areas even the Tories didn’t dare. New Labour ministers like Patricia Hewitt now talk openly about competition between hospitals. They have reintroduced the market into the NHS by for example, introducing […]

Primary Care Trusts

That this Conference congratulates UNISON National Officers, Regional Officers, and Branches in their continuing campaign to defend Primary Care Trusts and calls on the Health Service Group Executive to encourage a full multidisciplinary approach to practice based commissioning.

Overseas Nurses Network

Conference notes with disappointment that no progress has been made on the Formation of Regional Overseas Nurses / Carers Network (conference Motion (73) 2005) similar to that of the Overseas Network by our brothers and sisters in Scottish UNISON. This is a missed opportunity to recruit into membership many thousands of overseas migrant workers employed […]

Branches involved in PFI meetings

Conference recognises that the meetings called to discuss PFI and privtisation issues have been well attended and useful to the branches concerned. We call on the Health Service Group Executive to give a commitment to organise these meetings as a regular fixture.

Lone Working

That this Conference congratulates UNISON Service Group on the work it is presently undertaking to ensure staff safety at work. Conference furthermore maintains that in areas where Patients/Clients/Residents are particularly vulnerable for example “Persons with Learning Difficulties” that UNISON opposes the move to “Lone Working” at Night. As this not only compromises the safety of […]

Marketisation of Health and Staff Co-ops

Conference opposes the break-up of the NHS and introduction of a health market involving private businesses, foundation trusts, charities and community interest companies (co-ops). Conference recognises that staff co-ops may appear attractive to certain groups of workers who believe that they can win market share against huge, well-resourced health companies. However, healthcare is not a […]

NHS Cuts – National Action Required

Conference notes with grave concern the wave of cuts in NHS services over the last year, as a result of shortfalls in funding from Primary Care Trusts. The government claims that it has put millions of pounds into additional funding for the NHS, yet we have seen ward closures, job losses and reductions in essential […]

Spinal/Muscular Skeletal Disorders in Health Staff

This Conference recognises the advances made in Health & Safety with regards to manual handling and the advent of ‘non-handling trusts.’ However for many of our members the damage has already been done. It is far too common for health staff to suffer spinal and other muscular/skeletal disorders resulting in disability in later life and […]

Agenda for Change Terms & Conditions Handbook

Conference notes that the Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions Handbook: ·had to be concluded by a pre-agreed deadline ·was not widely available to UNISON’s lay membership before the Agenda for Change ballot ·leaves around a hundred terms open to local negotiation rather than the nineteen or so originally envisaged ·is often unclearly-expressed or ambiguous […]

High Cost Area supplements: Step up the Campaign!

CONFERENCE notes the provision in the Agenda for Change agreement for the areas where High Cost Area Supplements are paid to be extended beyond their current geographical limits. Conference notes that there has been a rapid rise in the cost of living, and especially housing, in several areas, meaning that the take-home pay of workers […]

Protect Health Workers’ Freedom of Speech

Conference condemns recent attempts to gag workers’ rights to talk to the media about Trust budget cuts, e.g. by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. Conference believes that individuals have a right to raise concerns which are covered by the Public Interest Disclosure Act. Furthermore Trade Unions have collective freedom of speech concerning […]

National Blood Service Policy on Men who have sex with Men

Conference notes 1.The National Blood Service (NBS) collects, tests, processes, stores and issues 2.1 million blood donations yearly; 2.Potential donors are asked if they are member of a community at higher risk of contracting HIV/Aids – communities that include men who sleep with men, people who have had sex in Africa and intravenous drug users. […]

Student Poverty

We welcomed the national student nurse survey, which was conducted by UNISON and the Nursing Times this year. However it is clear from previous health conference motions that other students including Occupational Therapists, Operating Department Practitioners and Paramedic diploma and degree students face similar financial hardship. We therefore call on the SGE and relevant Sectors […]

Chief Nursing Officer Review of Mental Health Nursing 2005/06

UNISON’s Nursing Sector has been heavily involved and influential in the recent Chief Nursing Officer (England) Review of Mental Health Nursing. Unison responded at length to the review consultation, making many observations and recommendation that are taken up in the published report. The Nursing Sector provided three representatives to the Reference Panel which assisted in […]