UNISON Nurses meet Labour Health spokesman after Government "pause".

"UNISON nurses and midwives meet with Labour Health spokesman John Healey and local Tooting MP Sadiq Khan at the House of Commons (4th April 2011) to discuss the on going campaign against the Coalition's NHS & Social Care Bill, after Conservative Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley was forced to invoke a two month pause in the passage of the Bill because of growing opposition from NHS professionals and the public.
 
Maureen Brown UNISON Nursing Convenor stated  "The growing campaign against the NHS Bill, had forced the Government to pause, now we need to move forward with the public to ram home the overwhelming opposition to the NHS Bill and NHS privatisation".

John Healey stated the Government NHS proposals were now weighed down in "confusion, chaos and incompetence" he also referred to Andrews Lansley's ability to unite in opposition to his NHS Reforms former right wing Thatcherite Minister Norman Tebbit and rap star NxtGen, the later responsible for viral video hit Andrew Lansley NHS Rap.

Sadiq Khan MP stated  "He would work tirelessly with UNISON, NHS staff and patients to defend the NHS from this vicious attack". (UNISON press release)

"The NHS is not for Sale you Toss.." - 208k hits on Youtube

The Observer and the Sunday Mirror today reveal that Council Binman and rap singer "NxtGen" (aka Sean Donnelly see picture) age 22 was supported by UNISON with regard to the filming of his song

on Youtube - "Andrew Lansley Rap".  

I had listened to a BBC Radio news report on the huge success of the song on YouTube while driving home this lunchtime (over 200,000 hits - which I had posted last month here).

Hat-tip COHSE

Update: You can buy the single online here from itunes

Push for More Midwives!

UNISON midwives and nurses at Kingston Hospital, Surrey held a candlelight vigil tonight (30th March 2011) to protest at the shortage of midwives at the hospital and to oppose the loss of 500 nursing and medical posts at the hospital.

Nora Pearce UNISON Midwifery Convenor stated

" UNISON is campaigning against the national shortage of midwives. We will be campaigning with local mothers to ensure Kingston hospital gets the resources it needs to continue a high quality service to mothers"

Michael Walker UNISON London Nursing Officer states

"The national shortage of Nurses and Midwives is being exacerbated by increased attendance at A&E and higher birth rates than projected, The Government needs to act urgently to avoid a crisis" (press release)

Andrew Lansley "tosser" Rap

This is just a little bit rude about our well beloved Tory Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley.... But he is intent on destroying the NHS. 

Hat tip COHSE Union

In the final frame there is a superb quote about the NHS by Nye Bevan which I will not spoil by revealing. 
Instead this below is one of my favourite "Nye" quotations about the NHS.

. A free health service is pure Socialism .—Aneurin Bevan, In Place of Fear, p106

Update: you can buy the single online here from itunes!

Save Our NHS: Sign 38 Degrees petition

Cick on here  to sign the Petition "Save Our NHS" by 38 Degrees.  They have over 195,000 signature and are aiming for 250,000.

"The Petition Text

To the Coalition government,

Our NHS is precious - we won't forgive you if you ruin it

• Don’t break up our health service and hand it to private healthcare companies
• Listen to the the real experts - doctors, nurses and patients - when they give warnings about these plans
• Don't rush through massive changes without testing them properly first
• Protect patient care - don't cut beds, wards, doctors or nurses"

"Don't Privatise Our Blood Service"

"UNISON Reps from across the South east including Isle of Wight handed in a letter to the TUC Trades Union Congress in London urging them to join the campaign to oppose the threat to privatise the NHS Blood Service and pledging support for the TUC demonstration in London on Saturday 26th March

Debbie Jones UNISON South East Blood Service Convenor stated

"We are fully committed to maintaining the blood collection service on the Isle of Wight and a delegation from the Isle of Wight blood collection team will be attending the demonstration on Saturday March 26th in London we hope many of our blood donors will join us"

Michael Walker UNISON Regional Officer states

"UNISON nurses and donor carers will fight any attempt to privatise the NHS Blood Service and we urge the public to support our campaign in the coming months".  (UNISON press release)

What will you do when I'm gone?

"..Gave away our nursing jobs to some private company

They say it will be cheaper, but this much I am sure

For the people that I care for, profit is not the cure"

This superb anti-privatisation video was produced by Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).  I am afraid that it may well apply to our own NHS if the ConDems get away with their plans to dismantle and privatise it.

March in March.

Hat tip Tynesider

Nurses Vote on Action to Stop Cuts at St Georges Hospital

"Four hundred Theatre Nurses and Practitioner members of health care union UNISON at St Georges hospital, South London, have started balloting in an “indicative” ballot that could, if agreed lead to official industrial action at St Georges by nurses for the first time in twenty three years.

UNISON the health care union has been angered at the plans to implement Tory Led Government health cuts at St Georges Hospital, Tooting. In particular nurses and technical staff are angry at the decision to press ahead with major changes to the rotas, duties and pay of four hundred Theatre nurses and practitioners.

These changes  would see staff suffer pay cuts, day staff forced to work night duty and some of those with childcare commitments forced to quit Theatres. This means the loss of many dedicated and experienced NHS staff. Nursing Staff (many of whom are women) will also be forced to work a late shift which finishes at 10pm, forcing them to make their way back home across London in the dark.

UNISON Regional Officer Michael Walker condemned the move and stated:-

 “When this Government of millionaires are telling hard pressed professional Theatre nurses that they need to cut their pay, work nights and walk home late at night, you can understand why nursing staff are so angry.

 “It would seem that the Government and some managers have totally lost all understanding of compassion and fairness in the way they treat dedicated nurses, in their quest to implement Government cuts to the NHS.”

UNISON Branch Secretary Geoff Thorne states :-

“It is regrettable that, despite UNISON’s best efforts to resolve these issues, it now looks inevitable that we are heading towards industrial action by nurses and practitioners, a situation created by management’s refusal to sit down and discuss child care and pay protection arrangements.

UNISON will now be waging a vigorous campaign in the community, and amongst consultants and NHS professionals at the hospital to highlight the plight of dedicated NHS nurses and staff at St Georges Hospital.”

UNISON Nursing Convenor Jane Pilgrim stated:-
“I remain hopeful that even at this late stage, we can still sit down and resolve the outstanding issues affecting nursing staff so that patients can continue to receive high quality services,”

Management at St Georges have left nursing and professional staff in a very invidious position where they either allow management to significantly cut the pay and conditions or they are reluctantly take some form of industrial action”.  

Hat-tip UNISON press release.

UNISON Health workers reject divisive 2 year pay freeze

This is the official UNISON press release "Members of UNISON’s Health Service Group Executive have today rejected a two-year freeze on pay increments, on top of the pay freeze imposed by the Government.

NHS Employers had offered a no compulsory redundancy agreement in return for the freeze. Members rejected the deal because there was no guarantee that all employers would abide by it. It would not be binding, but left to individual Trusts to decide whether or not to offer the guarantee.

Mike Jackson, Senior National Officer for Health said: “The Service Group Executive said today that they could not support a further pay freeze for nurses, paramedics and other low paid, mainly women workers. “The funding gap in the NHS is so great that members were sceptical that Trusts would abide by a no compulsory redundancy agreement for two years.  “Additionally they felt that the offer was divisive because it excluded high level clinicians, such as matrons, senior occupational therapists and midwife supervisors.”

While these pearls of wisdom to his members are from London Ambulance UNISON branch secretary Eric Roberts (left in picture with broad smile next to UNISON London regional conveyor Gloria Hanson on G20 March 2009)

"Dear all,

Just to keep you in the picture concerning the proposal from NHS Employers and to inform you of my contribution on behalf of the Branch and the Union next week.

On Monday I am attending an extraordinary National Ambulance Sector meeting and straight after that I am attending an extraordinary Health Service Group Executive meeting 

There is one agenda item. That is to agree or not to agree that the Union should enter into negotiations (tentative or otherwise) with the NHS Employers to accept an AfC incremental freeze (on top of the planned pay freeze) in return for an agreement concerning compulsory redundancies within the NHS.

That is the core of the agreement although there is also mention of a freeze in employee pension contributions and other fringe add on’s. This part has yet to be finalised. 

Although most people were not happy, most accepted the simple understanding that the pay freeze may well save jobs, and on that basis bit their tongues.  What is being asked this time is totally different.

These are important meetings that will decide how the Union deals with the Coalition regarding Health. This is a big decision on a lot of levels.  I intend to vote no. I will speak against the Union entering this type of agreement. I will vote no and speak against at both meetings.

I believe that it is obscene that health workers are being blackmailed and held to ransom by this Government and that we are being asked to take the responsibility for the NHS finances, while at the same time being to blame if any jobs go.

I realize of course that any way I vote has consequences. If I vote for it then our members will not only have a pay freeze but will also not have their contractual right of an incremental pay spine rise.

If I vote against then the spectre of compulsory redundancies will be laid at our door with the accusation of being selfish and not caring. I believe in Partnership but this is not partnership. This is a gun held cynically to the Union’s head.

My guess is that the Ambulance Sector as a body will vote no. It is a fact of course that ambulance services will not be as cut as many other health organisations and that may well influence a lot of the vote.  The SGE is another matter. Many members there will be facing huge job losses back at their trusts and will have a huge struggle with their conscience.

I do not know how the vote will go at that meeting.  Dave Prentis has said that ‘Our time has come’!

Unison is big enough to stand on it’s own two feet (or it’s 1.5 million x 2 feet!). The financial crisis is not the fault of health workers. Of course there is always a chance that more information will be made available and the deal being sought is not what we think.

I do not also know what the other health unions will decide.  I know that you trust me to make the right decision.  I will update you all at the Branch Committee meeting.

Best wishes  

Eric

UNISON Nurses say "Stop the Cuts and defend our NHS"!

This is a great picture of UNISON Nurses from St Georges Hospital in Tooting, South London. Who have taken today "time out...to protest at the Governments planned NHS reforms and decision to cut £10bn a year from the NHS through so called efficiency savings.

UNISON Nursing staff at St George's have signalled that they will not hesitate to speak out against Government plans for swingeing cuts and privatisation of the NHS.

Michael Walker UNISON Regional Officer states

"UNISON will not sit ideally by and watch our NHS services slashed and privatised. Britain did not vote for the introduction of an American health care system, a system which is not comprehensive, bureaucratic, expensive and where increased competition not collaboration costs patients lives".

Jane Pilgrim UNISON Nursing Convenor at St George's Hospital, Tooting states

"Over one hundred nurses at St Georges Hospital have already signalled they will be joining the TUC rally to defend public services on Saturday 26th March in central London and we are receiving incredible support from the local community". 

Hat-tip UNISON press release.

Sunday Sectarianism: Let GP's Run our NHS!

Hat-tip thingy to Col. Roi

(My GP is of course wonderful and hopefully does not read blogs)

NHS White Paper - Model response deadline 5th OCTOBER URGENT‏

"Our NHS, our future. Get your response into the Government's white paper. Tell them he drive to hand over large parts of the NHS to the private sector is driven by ideology, not by evidence. See below for a draft response....."


White Paper Team,
Room 601,
Department of Health,
79 Whitehall,
London
SW1A 2NS

nhswhitepaper@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Deadline 5th October 2010

RESPONSE TO NHS WHITE PAPER

This organisation (Print)……………................................................................ maintains that the proposed White Paper would have a seriously detrimental impact upon the services, values and founding principles of our National Health Service.

These proposals have little support from NHS staff or patients, and lack an electoral mandate: not one of them was put to voters in May.

The drive to hand over large parts of the NHS to the private sector is driven by ideology, not by evidence. Bitter experience shows privatisation (such as hospital cleaning, and computerisation) costs more or undermines quality.

The scrapping of 150 Primary Care Trusts and replacing them with GP commissioning bodies would (a) be more expensive (b) fragment services (c) open up a new “postcode lottery” of inequalities, (d) fail to safeguard  vulnerable patients (e) bring more privatisation and (f ) lead to GPs rationing care.

The abolition of PCTs and SHAs would result in all future decisions being taken without the scrutiny or influence of local councillors or the public. The public has a right to influence the NHS and not just to become a consumer.

Foundation Trusts would be encouraged to focus more of their resources on attracting wealthy private patients from home and abroad, with services for NHS patients squeezed by £20 billion in cuts.

Please ensure our organisation’s response to the NHS White Paper is registered.

OUR NHS - OUR FUTURE (hat-tip UNISONactive)

NHS Privatisation

A good introduction to the CONDEM White paper on the NHS.

Happy 62nd Birthday NHS!

Dont' let Nurses Freeze

So the CONDEMs are going to protect the NHS and front line services?

The first of many protests - Nurses at Kingston Hospital protest today at a job freeze.  Check out this UNISON press release.

"Dont' let Nurses Freeze

Kingston hospital’s decision to freeze front-line nursing posts will hit patient care hard as well as adding to the burden on existing over-stretched staff, said UNISON nurses at the hospital today (insert date). The nurses condemned moves to cut the number of nurses on wards as part of a jobs freeze at the hospital, saying that it flies in the face of pledges to protect front-line NHS staff.

The Trust management have stated that they will not replace nurses who leave unless they are “critical”.

Michael Walker, Nursing officer for UNISON slammed the proposed cuts as “putting patient care at risk” saying:

“ it is outrageous that overworked nurses are being expected to cover for nursing posts that are not filled. UNISON believes that the cuts will put lives and patient care at risk. The Coalition Government told us that they would not cut front line services, and yet at Kingston - Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s local hospital - this is exactly what we are witnessing - nurses are very much frontline service”.

Nora Pearce, UNISON Nursing & Midwifery Convenor at the hospital said:

“The NHS has a very high turnover of nursing posts; nurses cannot simply be expected to pick up the work of posts no longer filled without compromising the care we provide.

“I urge those implementing the cuts to take serious consideration of our concerns and reverse this decision”

Ends