Winners of Our Health Heroes Awards 2022 announced
The winners of the sixth annual Our Health Heroes Awards were announced on 24 March 2022 at a glittering awards ceremony held at London Science Museum.
UNISON sponsors two of the award categories: Breakthrough Apprentice of the Year and Exceptional NHS Operational Support Worker of the Year.
From porters and cleaners to receptionists, gardeners and security guards, these often unsung heroes make up roughly 40% of the NHS’ million strong workforce.
Our Health Heroes Awards is a national celebration of their achievements and an opportunity to give thanks for the important role that they play in keeping the health service f...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - March 31, 2022 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News Source Type: news
Above-inflation pay rise critical to resolving NHS staff crisis, says UNISON
Unless the government gives NHS staff an inflation-busting pay rise, health workers are likely to jump ship to find better paid work, warns UNISON today (Tuesday).
Many are so worried about money, they’re struggling to focus on their work as the cost-of-living crisis worsens, the union says.
A decent pay rise would go some way to easing financial concerns and convince staff to stay in their jobs. This would help deal with treatment backlogs caused by the pandemic and get health services back on track, adds UNISON.
Research by the union shows that without a significant wage boost, what is already a workf...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - March 29, 2022 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: Article News Press release NHS pay rise pay review body Source Type: news
Further industrial action at Sandwell Leisure Trust
Workers at Portway Lifestyle Centre and Tipton Leisure Centre in the West Midlands will take strike action on Thursday 24 February.
This follows last month’s strike on 28 January, which received widespread support. UNISON members at Portway were joined by Labour MP John Spellar, local Labour councillors and TUC representatives.
This action, the sixth, comes as part of a continued fight against fire and rehire tactics used by employer Sandwell Leisure Trust.
UNISON Sandwell branch secretary Tony Barnsley said: “Our members remain steadfast in their determination in fighting this unjust practice. By setting a furthe...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - February 9, 2022 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News local government West Midlands Source Type: news
Children with special needs feeling the brunt of staffing shortages, UNISON survey reveals
Primary school children with special educational needs are not getting the help to which they are entitled, because of support staff and teacher shortages, according to a new UNISON survey.
This is the most disturbing finding among many in the survey, which was conducted across schools in England in January this year.
UNISON members are among those attempting to keep things running in the face of the shortages.
Just over 3,000 members took part in the survey. Around two thirds (65.2%) of the respondents were from primary schools and just under one fifth (18.4%) from secondary schools.
The majority work as learning support ...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - February 9, 2022 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article News Covid-19 school cuts schools staff Source Type: news
Allow schools to close early as Omicron spreads exponentially, says UNISON
Allowing schools to close early this week would reduce the risk of Omicron transmission, make Christmas less stressful for families and give staff more time to get their boosters, says UNISON today (Wednesday).
The union wants the government to take immediate action and says this would help reduce the risk to everyone in the lead up to the festive break.
Heads should be able to close schools a few days early without the fear of government criticism. Ministers should also ensure air filtration devices are sent to every school before they start back in the new year.
The union also wants to see face masks reintroduced into cl...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - December 15, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: News Press release covid Mike Short schools Source Type: news
There for You relaunches its COVID-19 response fund to include universal credit cuts
As Christmas approaches, with temperatures dropping and bills rising, financial pressures are mounting for many of the most vulnerable. But help is at hand.
UNISON’s welfare charity, There for You, has re-launched the COVID-19 response fund, to support UNISON members whose household incomes have been affected during the pandemic.
The fund offers grants of up to £350 to help members struggling with living costs, or loss of employment, or have had the universal credit uplift removed.
For information on eligibility and to access the online application form click here:
COVID-19 response fund
To find out more about the...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - November 29, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article News covid-19 response fund there for you Source Type: news
Open public offering of shares – IPO with VDRs
IPO is a basic public providing, today means the process of a corporation, or previous investors, exactly who sell the shares of any private company on the stock exchange, whereby the corporation goes general public and the securities are available to a wide range of traders. The list of intermediaries just for this transaction contains underwriters, exchanges, brokers, accountants, public relations offerings, legal advice, etc .
As a rule, a public providing of shares is a very important milestone inside the life of the company. Certainly, this is his recognition with the serious investment project level. Accordingly, th...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - November 26, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article Source Type: news
Long ambulance delays causing distress for patients and staff
Commenting on data published today (Thursday) by NHS England showing that NHS waiting lists are at a record high and targets for 999 response times are being missed, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:
“The NHS has been experiencing winter-style pressures for months now. There are real fears that staff and services will be unable to cope as demand inevitably increases.
“Lengthy delays are causing much distress to ambulance crews and control room staff. They can’t respond as quickly as they would like to emergency calls. Staff are increasingly concerned that pressures on the system are compromising their codes of...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - November 11, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: Press release Ambulance healthcare Sara Gorton Source Type: news
UNISON urges MPs to act amid surging school COVID-19 cases
As COVID-19 cases among school-age children are surging, UNISON – along with other unions – has today sent an urgent letter to all English MPs urging them to call on the government to reintroduce additional measures in schools.
The letter, which was also signed by GMB, UNITE, NEU & NASUWT, says that, according to the government’s own data, coronavirus cases in schools have surged and that over 100,000 children were absent from school on 16 September due to confirmed or suspected cases of the virus – the highest level seen during the pandemic.
This comes alongside a recent ONS infection survey that suggests that...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - October 1, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Simon Jackson Tags: Article coronavirus schools Source Type: news
Environment Agency unions seek meeting on ‘indefensible’ pay offer
UNISON and the other trade unions representing Environment Agency staff are seeking an urgent meeting with environment secretary George Eustice, to discuss the ‘indefensible’ pay offer to their members.
In a strongly-worded letter today, the unions assert that: “It will be a source of national embarrassment that, with the UK government hosting world leaders at COP26 in Glasgow later this year, you are failing to invest in the very staff who will play a key role in delivering UK government policies to tackle climate change.”
Donna Rowe-Merriman, UNISON’s national secretary for business, community and environment, ...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - August 13, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Demetrios Matheou Tags: Article News environment agency WET Source Type: news
UNISON campaign to protect East Midlands NHS jobs pays off
A UNISON campaign to protect the jobs of over 10,000 NHS staff has been backed by the new University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) NHS Group.
A signed agreement which lasts until the end of 2024 recognises the contribution made by NHS workers during the pandemic and aims to ensure job security under the merger of Northampton General Hospital and Kettering General Hospital trusts.
Mark Smith, chief people officer for UHN, signed UNISON’s job protection agreement to show his commitment to safeguard the employment of staff and offer reassurances as the new group model moves forward.
UNISON is urging other health e...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - August 2, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News East Midlands NHS Source Type: news
It ’s #NotTooMuchToMask
As the final coronavirus restrictions across England are lifted and the legal requirements to wear a face mask and social distance come to an end, leading healthcare organisations, charities, unions and medical professionals have joined forces to support the public to make sensible choices that can keep themselves and others safe from infection.
Launching a new campaign #NotTooMuchToMask, the group, led by the NHS Confederation, alongside a host of other organisations are encouraging everyone to keep protecting themselves and each other from catching or passing on coronavirus at a time when cases are soaring, and hospital...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - July 19, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Fatima Ayad Tags: Press release Christina McAnea Covid-19 face masks Source Type: news
Energy conference tackles climate change and equality
UNISON’s energy service group today held the first UNISON conference to take place online. But after vice president James Anthony (pictured above) had explained this, delegates were more concerned with trying to make history of a different kind, with an agenda that was dominated by the struggles against climate change and for equality.
Angela Greenhalgh, the chair of the national energy committee, spoke briefly of the impact of COVID-19 on the sector, with the loss of jobs a serious concern. They were subjects that would come up throughout conference.
Ms Greenhalgh observed that there was a vital need “for new ways...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - June 10, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Amanda Kendal Tags: Article News 2021 Energy Conference Source Type: news
Majority of nursing staff have experienced sexual harassment at work, survey shows
Three in five nurses (60%) have experienced sexual harassment at work, according to a survey published today (Thursday) by UNISON and Nursing Times.
More than 2,000 nursing staff and students took part in the research, which shows that incidents of sexual harassment are almost commonplace, with staff targeted by patients, family and friends of those in their care, and their own health colleagues.
Some said they were expected to put up with abusive behaviour because it was seen as “just part of the job”, while a number described it happening so frequently that it had become “normal”.
For many, these we...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - June 2, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Anthony Barnes Tags: News Press release nurses sexual harassment Source Type: news
UNISON responds to the situation in East Jerusalem and Gaza
UNISON has expressed its deep concern about the escalation of tensions in East Jerusalem in recent weeks, including the scenes at al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan.
The union has also condemned the violence and the bombing of Gaza, and expressed its regret at the tragic loss of life and injuries to Palestinians and Israelis.
The escalation has happened in part due to the planned evictions of Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, a neighbourhood in East Jerusalem, in addition to the police raid on al-Aqsa and increasing restrictions on Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
The families have lived i...
Source: UNISON Health and safety news - May 12, 2021 Category: Occupational Health Authors: Janey Starling Tags: Article News international Palestine Source Type: news
