Low-paid health workers shouldn’t have had to strike for one-off payment, says UNISON

Commenting on the government funding that will now allow thousands of health workers to receive the one-off payment given to NHS staff last year, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said:

“Low-paid health workers shouldn’t have had to go on strike and lose money to win the cash that’s rightfully theirs.

“Nor should they have had to wait many months for the one-off payments their directly employed NHS colleagues got months ago.

“Private firms, social enterprises and wholly-owned subsidiaries taking on NHS contracts should be driven by motives other than pure profit. Any contractor or organisation running an NHS service should be responsible for the staff it takes on too.

“Health workers employed by private firms shouldn’t be treated less favourably or earn less an hour only because they no longer work for the NHS.

“If private companies in the NHS don’t want to make that commitment, they shouldn’t be tendering for health service contracts in the first place.”

The article Low-paid health workers shouldn’t have had to strike for one-off payment, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Low-paid health workers shouldn’t have had to strike for one-off payment, says UNISON

Commenting on the government funding that will now allow thousands of health workers to receive the one-off payment given to NHS staff last year, UNISON head of health Helga Pile said:

“Low-paid health workers shouldn’t have had to go on strike and lose money to win the cash that’s rightfully theirs.

“Nor should they have had to wait many months for the one-off payments their directly employed NHS colleagues got months ago.

“Private firms, social enterprises and wholly-owned subsidiaries taking on NHS contracts should be driven by motives other than pure profit. Any contractor or organisation running an NHS service should be responsible for the staff it takes on too.

“Health workers employed by private firms shouldn’t be treated less favourably or earn less an hour only because they no longer work for the NHS.

“If private companies in the NHS don’t want to make that commitment, they shouldn’t be tendering for health service contracts in the first place.”

The article Low-paid health workers shouldn’t have had to strike for one-off payment, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Decent NHS pay rise is crucial if both the workforce and the economy are to grow, say health unions

Proper investment in NHS staff is essential for both the UK’s economic success and if there’s to be any hope of filling record staff vacancies, health unions say today (Friday).

A new report, compiled on behalf of 14 unions representing more than a million health workers in England, makes clear rebuilding the NHS workforce will be impossible without the fair, sustained wage rises central to recruiting and hanging on to staff.

The unions also call for action from the government in the 2024/25 pay round to tackle the wage and staffing issues crucial to cutting the treatment backlog and giving patients the quality care they deserve.

The report Supporting UK’s Economic Growth: The Case for NHS Pay is being published today, coinciding with the day on which the NHS pay review body’s initial call for evidence closes. NHS staff are due a pay rise from 1 April, but the review body is already months behind schedule because the government began the process so late, say the unions.

A decent wage increase in this round, backed by a clear strategy on NHS pay recovery, are essential to filling gaping staff shortages, expanding the health workforce and improving economic prosperity the report says.

Then a greater number of patients could be seen and more work done to prevent health deterioration, allowing the thousands currently off sick and awaiting treatment to return to the labour market and stay fit for work.

The unions – representing ambulance staff, nurses, porters, radiographers, clinical support workers, dieticians, podiatrists, physiotherapists and other NHS employees in England – want the government to tackle the declining value of NHS pay, and ensure health workers are fairly paid for the roles they perform.

They say a funding and pay strategy must be put in place to underpin the much-needed workforce plan. Otherwise understaffing will continue, more health workers will leave, patient care suffer and waiting lists soar.

Chair of the NHS group of unions and UNISON acting head of health Helga Pile said: “There’s a clear link between rising waiting lists and the staffing emergency being felt in every part of the NHS in England.

“Investing in pay and improving working conditions are the ways to keep experienced employees in their jobs and attract new recruits. In turn that means patients are more likely to get the care they need and get it more quickly.

“But it also makes economic sense too. When health workers have more money in their pockets, they tend to spend it on their local high streets, supporting local businesses. And if the NHS had more staff, it would be able to treat a larger number of people. Falling sickness rates would enable the wider workforce to grow and economic benefits to flow across the country.”

Secretary of the NHS group of unions and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy assistant director of employment relations Elaine Sparkes said: “NHS staff need an above-inflation pay rise to begin to address the years of cuts that have had such a detrimental effect, especially during the cost-of-living crisis.

“The lack of fair pay has also exacerbated the workforce crisis at a time when the NHS can least afford to be so short of staff.

“An above-inflation pay rise would help recruit and retain the staff the NHS desperately needs. If the government wants to make a dent in the record waiting lists, then ministers must listen to the staff that know the NHS best.”

Notes to editors:
 The document Supporting UK Economic Growth: The Case for NHS Pay 2024 can be viewed here.
– The 14 NHS unions are: British Association of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association, British Orthoptic Society, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Royal College of Podiatry, Federation of Clinical Scientists, GMB, Managers in Partnership, Prison Officers Association, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Nursing, Society of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes (UNISON) M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Jon Ryan (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy) M: 07917 091200 E: ryanj@csp.org.uk

The article Decent NHS pay rise is crucial if both the workforce and the economy are to grow, say health unions first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Decent NHS pay rise is crucial if both the workforce and the economy are to grow, say health unions

Proper investment in NHS staff is essential for both the UK’s economic success and if there’s to be any hope of filling record staff vacancies, health unions say today (Friday).

A new report, compiled on behalf of 14 unions representing more than a million health workers in England, makes clear rebuilding the NHS workforce will be impossible without the fair, sustained wage rises central to recruiting and hanging on to staff.

The unions also call for action from the government in the 2024/25 pay round to tackle the wage and staffing issues crucial to cutting the treatment backlog and giving patients the quality care they deserve.

The report Supporting UK’s Economic Growth: The Case for NHS Pay is being published today, coinciding with the day on which the NHS pay review body’s initial call for evidence closes. NHS staff are due a pay rise from 1 April, but the review body is already months behind schedule because the government began the process so late, say the unions.

A decent wage increase in this round, backed by a clear strategy on NHS pay recovery, are essential to filling gaping staff shortages, expanding the health workforce and improving economic prosperity the report says.

Then a greater number of patients could be seen and more work done to prevent health deterioration, allowing the thousands currently off sick and awaiting treatment to return to the labour market and stay fit for work.

The unions – representing ambulance staff, nurses, porters, radiographers, clinical support workers, dieticians, podiatrists, physiotherapists and other NHS employees in England – want the government to tackle the declining value of NHS pay, and ensure health workers are fairly paid for the roles they perform.

They say a funding and pay strategy must be put in place to underpin the much-needed workforce plan. Otherwise understaffing will continue, more health workers will leave, patient care suffer and waiting lists soar.

Chair of the NHS group of unions and UNISON acting head of health Helga Pile said: “There’s a clear link between rising waiting lists and the staffing emergency being felt in every part of the NHS in England.

“Investing in pay and improving working conditions are the ways to keep experienced employees in their jobs and attract new recruits. In turn that means patients are more likely to get the care they need and get it more quickly.

“But it also makes economic sense too. When health workers have more money in their pockets, they tend to spend it on their local high streets, supporting local businesses. And if the NHS had more staff, it would be able to treat a larger number of people. Falling sickness rates would enable the wider workforce to grow and economic benefits to flow across the country.”

Secretary of the NHS group of unions and Chartered Society of Physiotherapy assistant director of employment relations Elaine Sparkes said: “NHS staff need an above-inflation pay rise to begin to address the years of cuts that have had such a detrimental effect, especially during the cost-of-living crisis.

“The lack of fair pay has also exacerbated the workforce crisis at a time when the NHS can least afford to be so short of staff.

“An above-inflation pay rise would help recruit and retain the staff the NHS desperately needs. If the government wants to make a dent in the record waiting lists, then ministers must listen to the staff that know the NHS best.”

Notes to editors:
 The document Supporting UK Economic Growth: The Case for NHS Pay 2024 can be viewed here.
– The 14 NHS unions are: British Association of Occupational Therapists, British Dietetic Association, British Orthoptic Society, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, Royal College of Podiatry, Federation of Clinical Scientists, GMB, Managers in Partnership, Prison Officers Association, Royal College of Midwives, Royal College of Nursing, Society of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes (UNISON) M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Jon Ryan (Chartered Society of Physiotherapy) M: 07917 091200 E: ryanj@csp.org.uk

The article Decent NHS pay rise is crucial if both the workforce and the economy are to grow, say health unions first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Insourcing win at North Middlesex University Hospital

Nearly 300 cleaning and catering staff at North Middlesex University Hospital will be brought back in-house following a UNISON campaign.

The workers, employed on zero hours contracts by Medirest, have been working under worse terms and conditions compared to colleagues directly employed by the NHS.

The trust has also agreed a commitment to increase pay for portering staff, who will receive the London living wage from 1 September 2023.

UNISON North Middlesex Hospital branch secretary Paula Ward said: “UNISON have been in talks with the trust regarding bringing this service back in-house for over a year, and we welcome the decision made.

“The campaign isn’t over yet however. Whilst we welcome the trust’s commitment to pay the London living wage for portering staff, UNISON will continue fighting for all staff to be in-house.

“We look forward to working in partnership with the trust to finalise a transfer date and further details.”

UNISON representative Abdi Nur has worked as a domestic at North Middlesex Hospital for five years. He said members are “delighted” that they will now receive sick pay and holiday pay as NHS staff.

“This is life-changing for many of us. We feel more valued and motivated to work here. It’s a huge achievement. We wanted this for such a long time, and now we’re so happy the time has come.”

The article Insourcing win at North Middlesex University Hospital first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Vote yes for the NHS: UNISON urges backing for strike action

Some 350,000 NHS employees working across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are being asked to vote on strike action over pay this winter.

UNISON represents a wide range of staff working in the NHS, including porters, nurses, paramedics and cleaners. The union recommends members vote ‘yes’ for strike action in order to pressure government decision-makers to increase pay.

In England and Wales, NHS staff have had a pay award of just 72p per hour. This is nowhere near what workers need to survive the current cost of living – and it will do nothing to address the staffing crisis which has led to 132,000 unfilled vacancies in England alone.

In Scotland, ministers upped their initial offer of 5% to a flat rate of just over £2,200, which is worth more than 11% to the lowest paid. UNISON has therefore suspended the strike ballot in Scotland and is now consulting members on the new offer.

In Northern Ireland, workers are yet to receive any pay award due to the political situation there.

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “Striking is the last thing dedicated health workers want to do. But with services in such a dire state, and staff struggling to deliver for patients with fewer colleagues than ever, many feel like the end of the road has been reached. 

“The NHS is losing experienced staff at alarming rates. Health workers are leaving for work that pays better and doesn’t take such a toll on them and their families. If this continues, the health service will never conquer the backlog and treat the millions desperately awaiting care.”

“Not enough to live on”

UNISON member Emily Jones has worked for the NHS in a range of roles, from mental health to the ambulance service, for nine years. Emily is voting for strike when her ballot paper lands.

She said: “The financial burden is now so huge that we can’t cope, I’m the only breadwinner in my household. Our mortgage isn’t fixed and our monthly payment has already doubled. The NHS isn’t in a good place. And the pressures certainly don’t make a great job advert.

“Going on strike is very hard, it’s the last thing we want to do but we can’t go on like this. I’ll be voting ‘yes’ in the ballot for the sake of the NHS and for patients.

“If pay isn’t attractive, then no one will want to join the service. Better pay means we’ll be able to recruit, ease the pressure on existing staff and look after patients.”

UNISON member Joseph Pearce has worked in the NHS for almost 3 years. He began working as a decontamination officer, cleaning surgical equipment, and is now a training officer.

He said: “The pay for bands 2 and 3 is not enough to live on. I have a mortgage and rely on loans and my overdraft to make ends meet. Too many people are struggling.”

Strikes are not inevitable

UNISON is urging members to return ballot papers promptly in order to meet strict anti-union ballot thresholds introduced by the government, which require a minimum of 50% of union members to vote and, in public services like hospitals, at least 40%of those to vote ‘yes’, in order for strike action to proceed.

Votes will be counted separately for each employer and strike action can only take place there if enough members have voted.

UNISON deputy head of health Helga Pile told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the pay award for health staff – including paramedics, porters and nurses – outside Scotland was “nowhere near enough.

“Outside Scotland, all they [health staff] have got is a 72 pence per hour award, and that’s just nowhere near enough when they can’t afford to pay their bills.

“They can’t afford to feed themselves, they’re going to work hungry, they’re going home to cold houses at the end of their long shifts.”

Ms McAnea said: “Strikes across the NHS this winter are not inevitable. The government must start to tackle the growing workforce crisis with an inflation-busting pay rise and get the NHS back on the long road to recovery”.

The article Vote yes for the NHS: UNISON urges backing for strike action first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Black History Month: Black NHS workers going above and beyond

Alvina Ware

UNISON member Alvina Ware (pictured above) is a clinical practice support worker at the Royal United Hospital (RUH) in Bath. Over the past two years, Alvina has transformed hair and skincare for Black patients at the hospital.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Alvina began to notice that elderly Black patients on her ward weren’t getting the skincare and haircare they needed – and set about to change that.

“Culturally it’s so important for our hair and skin to be oiled,” she  explains. “Skin is the biggest organ in the body, and usually when a Black elderly person is in hospital, their family will come and take care of them, bringing moisturiser and doing their hair.”

During lockdown, when family visits were banned, Alvina started bringing her own products from home to make sure that Black elderly people in her ward were taken care of.

“I kept seeing people who were Black, sick or dying, and when their family members weren’t able to come in due to lockdown, they didn’t have the right products for their hair and skin. I knew their families at home would be so upset if they knew their hair wasn’t right and they didn’t have what they needed for their skin.

“I remember seeing a Black gentleman in one of the bays who had really dry legs, but no moisturiser, and the shops were shut because of lockdown. I asked him what cream he usually uses at home and he said Palmers, which I had in my bag. I decanted it into a bottle for him. He was so happy.”

This was a lightbulb moment for Alvina. “As a Black woman, I know how important hair is. I began to ask: what products do we have in hospitals for Black patients? Are they suitable?”

Alvina visited the on-site charity that provides basic wash bags for patients – including things like soap, a toothbrush and shower gel – to see if she could get some supplies for her patient. When she asked whether there was anything suitable for Black skin, the answer was no.

“I said to myself: I need to get these products onto the ward.”

With the help of UNISON, Alvina produced a patient care guide for hospital staff on Black hair and skin. UNISON also helped her purchase small trial packs of moisturiser and hair products, afro combs and silk caps to hand to Black patients.

Patient care guide for black hair

Patient care guide for black hair

“I took the packs round to all the wards, and also gave them to Black hospital workers. It was good to make them feel included, because when we get freebies, they’re often products made for white skin. We’re particular with our coconut oils and cocoa butters.”

Alvina has since become the RUH inclusion ambassador, and the hospital has committed to replenish the care packs for Black patients. Alvina now teaches a module on Black hair and skin to healthcare assistants and student nurses, with the dual aim of “demystifying Black hair for white colleagues” and making sure that Black patients get the care they need.

Alvina Ware and Sherron Watson

Alvina Ware and Sherron Watson, inclusion ambassadors at RUH Bath

“I noticed that my white colleagues were too afraid to ask people’s family members how to look after Black hair and skin, so it was left to me to do it. I recommend that white healthcare workers just ask, and be educated. Otherwise, we end up with our poor elders all dried up in their beds.”

Alvina is proud of what she’s achieved, and knows there’s still more to be done. She sees Black History Month as a “celebration”, and this year she’ll be using the opportunity to run Black hair tutorials for hospital workers.

Chris Akaluka

UNISON Newham healthcare branch secretary Chris Akaluka (pictured below) is a security supervisor for Barts Health NHS trust. Like Alvina, he also sees Black History Month as a celebration. In October, his branch is coordinating an event to celebrate Black members’ talents and skills outside of work. It’s titled ‘Much More Than You Are’.

Chris says: “We want to give people the opportunity to feel a sense of belonging, to look beyond their bands and the colours of their uniform.

“In the NHS, we have a problem I refer to as ‘bandism’, where people on higher bands look down on those on lower bands. I don’t think people are always aware they do this, but sometimes people want to know what band you’re on before they decide if what you say is relevant.”

In the NHS, where only 7.4% of workers on highest bands are Black, the ‘bandism’ Chris describes becomes a racialised problem.

“The event is an opportunity to truly create an all-inclusive environment. People participating in this exhibition cut across all bands in our branch. It’s an opportunity to tell everybody that they are truly much more than their band, and their job. We have people who will be showing film, fashion designs, food, photography and performing songs. I have an MA in film, and I’ll be showing my films.”

As winter approaches and the cost of living crisis bites, Chris believes the timing for the event is key.

“The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on Black NHS workers. A lot of my colleagues right now are still going through some sort of PTSD. The cost of living crisis is impacting the Black community too, because most of us tend to take up lower paid jobs. People are forging along despite these challenges, and we want to help take people’s minds off the difficult times and have a good laugh.”

Chris feels conflicted on the idea of Black History Month: “The idea of devoting a month of October each year to Black history and celebrating the brilliance of Black people is great, however a lot more work needs to be done to improve the experiences of Black people all year round.”

Chris’ branch recently won a key insourcing campaign for Black members. After outsourcing several hospital services to Serco in 2016, thanks to UNISON, Barts Health NHS Trust will now directly employ 1,800 workers from May 2023.

“Around 90% of these workers are Black, and we’re preparing for this insourcing by partnering with North East London College and Serco to provide free English lessons to members who don’t have English as a first language. This means that they’ll have more opportunities when they become part of the NHS workforce. Some of them have degrees from other countries, but they have never had interviews in the UK. We want to make sure they can take any opportunity that comes their way.”

Rosita Ellis

Rosita Ellis works for the NHS in Oxfordshire to improve access to healthcare for Black patients. She says: “My priority is to get more access to the health service for the Black community, so they can access better health outcomes. For example, there’s a lot of hesitancy around the COVID-19 vaccine in the Black community, and I’ve been working to increase vaccine uptake.”

Rosita is the first Black woman to become a UNISON regional convenor for the South East region.

She first joined UNISON to advocate for Black workers’ rights. “I saw a Black worker being bullied by a senior manager, and I knew I had to do something. I trained as a UNISON steward and supported the person to make sure the manager’s behaviour changed.”

Since then, Rosita has served in several positions for the union, working her way up from Black members’ officer to branch chair for Oxfordshire Health and then regional Black members chair. She’s proud to be the first Black woman to be a regional convenor for her region.

“You don’t see an awful lot of Black members of committees. On a lot of the committees I go to, I’m the only Black face. A lot of these committees are white faces. That needs to change. Just as NHS England are keen that they see more Black people in the higher ranks of the NHS, I’m keen to see more Black people in the higher echelons of UNISON and become more active.”

Rosita wants to see UNISON leading the way on race, not just for one month. “Black History Month needs to be celebrated, but throughout the year. There’s a lot of achievements that Black people have made that need to be celebrated more. UNISON should be leading the way on this.”

UNISON national officer for health Sara Gorton says: “Black History Month is a chance to celebrate and recognise Black people throughout history, whose achievements have often been ignored or overlooked. This October, we wanted to showcase the work of some of our Black members working in the NHS who we think are “making history now”.

Healthcare staff and union reps can make a huge difference to people’s lives – from giving patients the care they need, to supporting others when they have problems at work and leading collective change in their workplace. These are the things that can change people’s lives immeasurably and that’s why we want to celebrate our members and share their inspirational stories.”

The article Black History Month: Black NHS workers going above and beyond first appeared on the UNISON National site.

UNISON wins major insourcing battle in Lanarkshire

UNISON has won a major insourcing victory in Scotland, after NHS Lanarkshire announced that it will take over the contract for cleaning, catering, portering and security services at University Hospital Wishaw.

The jobs of 400 workers – many held by traditionally low-paid, part-time women workers – will transfer from private contractor Serco to NHS Lanarkshire later this year. There will be no job losses.

The Lanarkshire health branch of UNISON has been running a ‘PFI bleeds the NHS dry’ campaign to end profit-motivated private contracts providing public services at NHS hospitals. A similar contract is in place at University Hospital Hairmyres in East Kilbride, which is currently held by ISS. The campaign to transfer that contract to the NHS continues.

Convener of UNISON Scotland Lilian Macer said: “This is a major success in the union’s campaign to end all outsourcing of NHS contracts, putting an end to a two-tier workforce at the Wishaw hospital.

“It will be better for the workers, their future pensions, the community, the NHS and the local economy. Workers will now have equal terms to their NHS colleagues and there will be no job losses.”

Ms Macer said that the union has a long-standing policy of seeking to return service provision to the direct control to NHS Lanarkshire at both Wishaw and Hairmyres hospitals and to remove the private sector contractors Serco at Wishaw and ISS at Hairmyres.

“Through our campaign we lobbied NHS Lanarkshire and Scottish Government and we have been successful at Wishaw. The health board has endorsed a strategic direction which seeks to promote well-being and tackle inequalities for our local population as well as delivering the very best healthcare possible within available resources.

“The UNISON Lanarkshire Health branch campaign will continue to ensure that staff on the Hairmyres site are not left behind and we will not stop our campaigning agenda with the health board and Scottish government until we remove the private sector and staff are directly employed by NHS Lanarkshire.

UNISON Lanarkshire health branch chair Katrina Murray added: “We are delighted at the outcome and want to thank our members and everyone who supported our campaign over the years. We have seen too many examples of these private profit-driven companies charging the NHS exorbitant rates for additional services when the real cost is a fraction of the price.

“There is no room for profiteering at the expense of the NHS. It’s time to get rid of these contractors once and for all.”

UNISON national secretary Donna Rowe-Merriman observed: “UNISON has seen a significant shift across public service commissioners to bring services back in-house as the public has become increasingly aware of the huge profits being made by companies that fail to deliver on promises of providing value for money for UK tax payers.

“The public want quality public services delivered by directly employed public sector workers receiving decent pay, terms and conditions.”

The article UNISON wins major insourcing battle in Lanarkshire first appeared on the UNISON National site.