Proposed changes to the structure of local government across Somerset must bring about improvements to services and not simply provide cover for further damaging cuts, says UNISON today (Thursday). Later today, district councillors are due to meet to approve a plan to create a new system for councils across Somerset, in a direct challenge to […]
Somerset
UNISON has today (Thursday) called on private social care providers in Somerset to sign up to its Care Worker Safety Charter and take immediate action to protect care workers, service users and communities against Coronavirus. The six standards in UNISON’s charter outline simple steps care providers can take to adequately protect workers. The measures include […]
Over one in ten staff supporting people with learning disabilities could be made redundant in a new round of cuts announced by Discovery. The company, which runs Somerset’s learning disability service, put out a 45 day consultation on an unspecified number of redundancies. UNISON, the union representing staff affected, has warned that the length of […]
Somerset County Council has overshot its budget for children’s services by more than any other council in the country, new figures have revealed. The £14.6 million overspend is £3.5 million more than the next-worst council, Sheffield. Despite the overspend, Somerset children’s services were still rated as “Requires Improvement” by Ofsted in January this year. Many […]
Two of Somerset’s campaigners for good services for people with learning disabilities won UNISON Get Active awards. Paul Kitto is UNISON LD convenor and works for Dimensions, the company the Learning Disability Service was outsourced to. He has led the Care not Cost campaign against cuts to services in the county. Paul won the “Eric […]
Moving 350 NHS staff into a Trust-owned private company has put Yeovil hospital in breach of licence. In a letter to NHS regulators, UNISON argues the Trust’s decisions must be investigated. Writing to NHS Improvement, UNISON set out Yeovil hospital’s failure to comply with the licencing requirement to have due regard for the NHS Constitution. […]
Today 350 Yeovil hospital staff transfer to private company “Simply Serve” and lose their NHS badges. A group of staff have lodged a collective grievance against the hospital for the way they have handled the transfer to the subco set up by the Trust. In an unprecedented move, Trust bosses have banned a scheduled event […]
A cuts-driven restructuring plan risks the quality of council services, UNISON has today warned. With a 30% budget reduction threatened by 2020, arguments between councillors in Taunton Deane and West Somerset over whether they should merge, collaborate, or go their own way are missing the point. Transformation plans aim to introduce a call centre approach […]
