NHS workers in the South West have asked the chancellor to recognise the work they’ve done to protect lives and fund a decent pay rise in this week’s Budget, says UNISON today (Monday). More than 60,000 health care assistants, porters, operating theatre staff, nurses, caterers, ambulance staff, cleaners and members of the public across the UK have signed a letter to Rishi […]
NHS

Every November UNISON celebrates One Team Day. The goal? To celebrate everything that NHS staff have been doing behind the scenes day in day out, and this year – throughout a global pandemic.

Porters, kitchen staff and cleaners at Wiltshire’s six community hospitals face an uncertain future as Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust seeks to outsource the services, UNISON says today (Friday).

A pay claim submitted by UNISON to the government today would see of at least £2,000, for NHS staff, by the end of this year.

UNISON has launched a survey of NHS staff in hospitals, to get a fuller understanding of what is happening about free car parking for workers as the lockdown eases. Take the NHS Hospitals Car Parking survey Hospital parking has been free for NHS staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, while local authorities and private providers have […]

People across the South West are being urged to celebrate and commemorate health, care and other essential workers this weekend to mark the 72nd birthday of the NHS, says UNISON today (Thursday). It will culminate in what is hoped to be the biggest ever clap for carers on Sunday (5 July) as the country shows its appreciation […]

Health managers must take immediate action to sort out communication issues which left staff in the dark about major Covid-19 difficulties at Weston General Hospital in Weston-super-Mare, says UNISON today (Thursday).

Cleaners, porters and catering staff working at Bodmin Hospital who are required to self-isolate could receive less than £100 per week, says UNISON. These frontline staff undertake vital jobs for the NHS but their employer GFM has said that employees will only receive statutory sick pay (SSP) if they are required to stay at home with […]

Mental health awareness, confidence building and skills analysis were all on the agenda today as apprentices met in Dorset for UNISON’s inaugural NHS Apprenticeship Conference.

Three private companies employing thousands of staff in the NHS in the South West are coming under pressure as UNISON’s campaign for fair pay in the health service escalates.

Hospital staff at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth celebrated Operating Department Practitioners Day today, paying tribute to an often overlooked part of the NHS team that play a vital role in keeping patients safe. An operating department practitioner (ODP) is a highly trained registered healthcare professional working in a range of critical care environments. ODPs prepare […]

Mitie, the private contractor for hotel services in the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, has given 14 supervisors a pay award while continuing to ignore the lowest paid staff. Since transferring to Mitie four years ago there has been no cost of living pay increase for porters, cleaners and catering staff working at the hospitals in […]

Hospital staff in the Royal Devon & Exeter UNISON branch marked International Women’s Day last week by pledging to help tackle period poverty and support survivors of domestic violence. The branch committee, which represents over 1,600 health care staff in Exeter, unanimously backed a proposal to support and promote the work of Comfort Exeter and […]

Political comedian Mark Thomas is heading to the South West with his award-winning show about the NHS. Check Up: Our NHS at 70, which Thomas first performed last year, is based on a series of interviews with leading experts on the NHS, and a month of residencies in hospitals during which he shadowed doctors, nurses […]