To: All UNISON Contacts and Networks within the Nursing Family – E-NURSING NEWSLETTER (MARCH 2011)
Welcome to this month’s edition, it includes: The March Against Cuts; All Together for the NHS Day; UNISON Health Conference Special Edition Newsletter; Nursing Fringe Meeting at Health Conference; Pensions; Future Plans for SHAs and PCTs in England, NHS Student Bursary, NHS Nurse Numbers Falling; GP Consortia; Mary Seacole Awards and Challenging Racism in the Workplace – Equality Act 2010
If you have any comments or questions regarding this edition or if you wish to have your name added to the distribution list please email nursingfamilynewsletter@unison.co.uk
The Anti Cuts March – What a success!
Last weekend’s march against cuts was without a doubt a huge successful. The police estimated that about half a million people protested. This was a proud moment for UNISON as there was a strong visibility of our members. Hundreds of thousands of nurses, midwives, student nurses, health care assistants and health visitors had travelled across the country to join the protest.
Dave Prentis, General Secretary, told hundreds of thousands of union marchers in Hyde Park “Today is one day. Today is a magnificent day. Tomorrow we march on”. This march was not just about anti cuts it was a march for jobs, justice and growth and in solidarity we will continue to fight for a fair deal.
The march should also be a warning shot to the ConDem coalition government of what is in store for them at the May Elections. It is very important that you vote in your local elections. This will be another opportunity for you to vote against the cuts – the government needs to hear our message loud and clear.
A research released by UNISON shows that billions is being wasted by the coalition government on the reorganisation of the public sector. Read more at http://www.unison.org.uk/asppresspack/pressrelease_view.asp?id=2231
‘All Together for the NHS’ Day – 1 April 2011
All Together for the NHS is a joint campaign that has been coordinated by the TUC. We want everyone to go and book appointments with their local MPs in their surgeries on 1st or 2nd April. We want you as activists, members and supporters of the NHS to tell your local MP how concerned you are about government’s plans for the health service.
Please support the “All Together For the NHS” Day by taking 3 key actions
1) Email your MP demanding opposition to the Bill: http://action.unison.org.uk/savetheNHS
2) Sign and circulate the 38 Degrees petition to save the NHS:
http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/Protect_our_NHS_Petition
3) Find out what is happening in your local area by visiting the False Economy website: http://falseeconomy.org.uk/nhs Alternatively, contact your local UNISON branch on 0845 355 0845.
To read more about All Together for the NHS day and UNISON’s campaign to speak up for the NHS go to http://www.unison.org.uk/ournhs
Please send any pictures from local events or feedback from your MP to mailto:ournhs@unison.co.uk
Finally, American film-maker Michael Moore has also sent a message of support to UNISON and all those defending the NHS. You can watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VyQhhDwmr8
UNISON Health Conference – special edition newsletter
To coincide with this year’s Health Conference, UNISON has published a special edition Our NHS Our Future newsletter. It contains the latest on UNISON’s campaign to curb the damaging reforms contained in the Health and Social Care Bill, as well as UK–wide updates on the hot topics under discussion at the Conference in Liverpool, 4-6 April 2011. You can view/download the newsletter here
Come Along to our Nursing Fringe Meeting
At the Health Conference in Liverpool on Monday, 4 April between 5.15 and 6.15 pm there will be a nursing fringe meeting. The fringe meeting will be on what are the lessons from Mid Staffordshire. You will also have an opportunity to join in the panel discussion. The panel will include Sir Stephen Moss, Chair of Mid Staffordshire and Dickon Weir-Hughes, Chief Executive of the Nursing and Midwifery Council. If you are worried about cuts in your organisation or feel your concerns are not listened to come to the fringe.
Your Pensions are at Risk
The government wants to make major changes to the NHS public pensions scheme which is likely to mean that you pay more, work longer and get less. UNISON is fighting in your corner on this issue. Dave Prentis said that “Once again, the government is expecting public sector workers to pay the price of the excesses of the bankers who caused the deficit”. These changes all come at a time when wages are being frozen, inflation rising and jobs threatened with privatisation.
One of the recommendations made in the public sector pensions is that there should be a move from final salary scheme (this is based on the last few years of your employment before retirement) to career average which will be based on the years that you have worked. At first flush this may look good but when you take into account the government’s move in using a lower method of calculating annual inflation for your pension then it all becomes clear that this yet another swipe at the public sector which is expected to take the brunt of the financial crisis. In a nutshell they want you to work longer, pay more but get less.
Our talks with the coalition government to protect and defend your pensions will be tough – we need your support if we are to make any headway. To find out what UNISON is doing click here
Future plans for SHAs and PCTs staff in England
The coalition government plan to hand over the commission of primary care services to GPs has wide ranging implications for staff within Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).
In preparation for the abolition of PCTs and SHAs in England, a human resources framework outlining how the staffing changes will be managed is due to be published shortly. UNISON is seeking to ensure that the framework includes staff protections, such as enabling some staff to make use of mutually agreed resignation schemes or to transfer to emerging GP Commissioning Consortia while retaining their NHS contracts of employment.
In addition, the Department of Health in England has published guidance on a new scheme called the Retention and Exit Terms (RETS) scheme. RETS is intended to help retain staff who are delivering critical activities and functions in SHAs and PCTs during the transition period, including an offer of guaranteed severance terms for some staff. More info is available here
NHS Student Bursary
It’s back to the drawing board with the NHS Bursary. The coalition government has decided to revise the options that were consulted on. The NHS Bursary Scheme provides financial support to students who are on a course that will lead to registration in qualifying in healthcare profession. We see the delay as a further setback for students who are having to live below living standards in order to pursue their vocation.
Gail Adams UNISON Head of Nursing has voiced her concerns. She said that following four years of negotiation, discussion and consultation, we are deeply frustrated at this unexpected turn of events. Instead of an announcement on the bursary we are presented with revised options. We have waited since 2009 for an announcement which we expected would improve the financial situation of the healthcare students. UNISON and other unions will be launching a joint consultation on the latest options from the Government on proposed changes to the Bursary, this will be hosted by the NUS.
NHS Nurse numbers fall
Its official the numbers of registered nurses in the NHS has fallen. Official figures show – the NHS Workforce Census – that the service employed 335,357 whole time equivalent nurses on September 30 last year, 650 less than 12 months earlier.
GP Consortia
Andrew Lansley at last year’s Nursing Times Awards said that nurses were the life blood of the NHS. However, in this week’s Nursing Times it is reported that Andrew Lansley once again insisted the government would not make it mandatory for consortia to have a nurse on their board.
This is a contradiction to his speech at last year’s Nursing Times because if we are (nurses) the life blood of the NHS why do we have to justify our role. UNISON believes that the GP Consortia should have a multidisciplinary profession of equal weight on the GP Consortia board. The Nursing Times is campaigning for everyone of the new GP Consortia to have a nurse on its board. If you want to ensure that nurses are represented on GP Consortia Boards and join the campaign click here
Mary Seacole Leadership and Development Awards 2011/12
Are you a nurse, midwife or health visitor working in the NHS who is trying to improve the care of black and minority ethnic patients, women or service users? If yes, you should consider applying for either a development or leadership award programme.
This is a real opportunity for UNISON nurses, midwives and health visitors to put their work and passion into the health strategy and making a mark. More information at http://www.unison.org.uk/healthcare/nursing/pages_view.asp?did=12671
Challenging racism in the workplace: a guide for branch activists
The union has produced detailed guidance for branches on the Equality Act 2010. While the Act mainly brings together existing equalities legislation, it does also introduce a few changes. For the branch guidance click here
Follow UNISON nurses on Twitter
Find out what were up to and what we think of different issues on Twitter, following us is easy if you have an account just follow this link, http://twitter.com/#!/unisonnurses if not you might want to think about opening an account.
Contacts and Network Groups
Please encourage UNISON members, representatives and activists within your Branch or workplace to become a contact. Ask them if they would like to join the distribution list by sending their name, membership number (if possible), email address and workplace details to: nursingfamilynewsletter@unison.co.uk to receive updates on the latest national developments.
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