UNISON today welcomed the strong interest shown in two pilot elections to health boards.
The public services union said the pilot elections in NHS Fife and NHS Dumfries & Galloway have been a success for supporters of democratic engagement.
Dave Watson, Scottish Organiser, said:
“UNISON campaigned hard for direct elections. We believe this will create a culture change on health boards of more openness and consultation.
“We are pleased so many people chose to stand in these pilot elections and that many thousands of people have voted, demonstrating a real appetite for involvement.
“UNISON hopes that the pilots will prove to be successful and that voters across Scotland will then be given the chance to elect members to their local NHS boards.”
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Friday, June 11, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
UNISON response to CPPR health spending report
UNISON today warned that a report on health expenditure in Scotland makes crude comparisons to criticise so-called productivity in Scotland and confuses health improvement with spending on the NHS.
The public services union also pointed out that the report is produced in association with KPMG and that the report looks like a sales pitch for their services.**
Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:
“The fact is that improving public health requires a whole range of action and involves spending from other areas including income support, housing, social work, early years etc.
“This kind of ill-informed report does not properly respond to the real health issues affecting Scotland and should not be used to justify slashing NHS spending.
“If you are looking at ‘productivity’ you can’t use crude figures, but need to look at patient outcomes in detail.
“The report’s authors admit that it isn’t possible to make like for like productivity comparisons with England and they have highlighted the major flaws in the earlier Nuffield Trust report.”
John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, added:
“We reject the report’s recommendation for the creation of a health regulator.
“Robust financial performance measures are applied in NHS Scotland, including direct accountability of Chief Executives and Board Chairs to the Minister – via public meetings. NHS Scotland has been successful in contributing to Scottish Government efficiency targets.”
ENDS
Notes For Editors:
1. UNISON’s response to the earlier, much-criticised Nuffield Trust report ‘Comparing NHS performance in the UK’ is at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2010/janfeb/2001.htm
2. John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, also commented on the Nuffield report at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/healthcare/nuffieldcomment20100121.html
The CPPR Report is at www.cppr.ac.uk/media/media_151602_en.pdf
**In it, KPMG states: "KPMG is at the forefront of change in healthcare. We are market leading providers of advice and implementation skills on efficiency and performance improvement. We are well placed to help the NHS and the wider public sector meet the challenges ahead."
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The public services union also pointed out that the report is produced in association with KPMG and that the report looks like a sales pitch for their services.**
Scottish Organiser Dave Watson said:
“The fact is that improving public health requires a whole range of action and involves spending from other areas including income support, housing, social work, early years etc.
“This kind of ill-informed report does not properly respond to the real health issues affecting Scotland and should not be used to justify slashing NHS spending.
“If you are looking at ‘productivity’ you can’t use crude figures, but need to look at patient outcomes in detail.
“The report’s authors admit that it isn’t possible to make like for like productivity comparisons with England and they have highlighted the major flaws in the earlier Nuffield Trust report.”
John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, added:
“We reject the report’s recommendation for the creation of a health regulator.
“Robust financial performance measures are applied in NHS Scotland, including direct accountability of Chief Executives and Board Chairs to the Minister – via public meetings. NHS Scotland has been successful in contributing to Scottish Government efficiency targets.”
ENDS
Notes For Editors:
1. UNISON’s response to the earlier, much-criticised Nuffield Trust report ‘Comparing NHS performance in the UK’ is at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/2010/janfeb/2001.htm
2. John Gallacher, Secretary to UNISON’s Health Committee, also commented on the Nuffield report at www.unison-scotland.org.uk/healthcare/nuffieldcomment20100121.html
The CPPR Report is at www.cppr.ac.uk/media/media_151602_en.pdf
**In it, KPMG states: "KPMG is at the forefront of change in healthcare. We are market leading providers of advice and implementation skills on efficiency and performance improvement. We are well placed to help the NHS and the wider public sector meet the challenges ahead."
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Tuesday, June 8, 2010
'Undercover Social Worker' TV programme - UNISON warns cuts to public spending will hit vulnerable
If you watched the Channel 4 Dispatches programme Undercover Social Worker, about Surrey County Council, you may be interested to see UNISON's reaction.
Helga Pile, UNISON’s National Officer for Social Care Workers, warned that public spending cuts will only make the highlighted problems of under-resourcing, excessive workloads and massive recruitment problems worse.
UNISON's full reaction is here.
For information about social work in Scotland, including our Social Work Manifesto and a negotiating resource on Supervision and Workload Management, see UNISON Scotland's website at:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/socialwork/index.html
The Dispatches website is here.
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Helga Pile, UNISON’s National Officer for Social Care Workers, warned that public spending cuts will only make the highlighted problems of under-resourcing, excessive workloads and massive recruitment problems worse.
UNISON's full reaction is here.
For information about social work in Scotland, including our Social Work Manifesto and a negotiating resource on Supervision and Workload Management, see UNISON Scotland's website at:
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/socialwork/index.html
The Dispatches website is here.
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Monday, June 7, 2010
Prentis challenges Cameron's 'chilling attack' on public sector
Mon 7 June 2010
UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, responding to David Cameron’s speech today on the economy, said: “This was a chilling attack on the public sector, public sector workers, the poor, to the sick and the vulnerable and a warning that their way of life will change. There was nothing in this speech that told the rich, the banking and financial sector or the city speculators that their privileged way of life will change.
“With breathtaking gall, David Cameron is spinning a myth about a hard-done-by private sector. The Tories and their friends in big business seem to forget the tens of billions of pounds of profit made by the private sector out of public sector contracts.
“And Cameron is trying to fool the public into believing that cutting public spending, quickly and deeply, has nothing to do with political priorities or decisions. I don’t think people will be fooled.
“It is a complete nonsense to claim that you can cut tens of billions of pounds from public spending and still protect ‘front-line’ services. And throwing public sector workers on the dole does not make sense – that will have a drastic impact on local economies. For every £1 a public sector worker earns, nearly 70p is spent in local shops, cafes, hairdressers and businesses.
“Of course we have to manage the deficit, but there are other ways of reducing it and that includes making those who caused the crisis pay a bit more, and by tackling tax avoidance and evasion.
“Cutting deeply and quickly risks plunging the country back into recession – public services are too precious to be turned into a political football.”
UNISON UK Press Release
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UNISON General Secretary, Dave Prentis, responding to David Cameron’s speech today on the economy, said: “This was a chilling attack on the public sector, public sector workers, the poor, to the sick and the vulnerable and a warning that their way of life will change. There was nothing in this speech that told the rich, the banking and financial sector or the city speculators that their privileged way of life will change. “With breathtaking gall, David Cameron is spinning a myth about a hard-done-by private sector. The Tories and their friends in big business seem to forget the tens of billions of pounds of profit made by the private sector out of public sector contracts.
“And Cameron is trying to fool the public into believing that cutting public spending, quickly and deeply, has nothing to do with political priorities or decisions. I don’t think people will be fooled.
“It is a complete nonsense to claim that you can cut tens of billions of pounds from public spending and still protect ‘front-line’ services. And throwing public sector workers on the dole does not make sense – that will have a drastic impact on local economies. For every £1 a public sector worker earns, nearly 70p is spent in local shops, cafes, hairdressers and businesses.
“Of course we have to manage the deficit, but there are other ways of reducing it and that includes making those who caused the crisis pay a bit more, and by tackling tax avoidance and evasion.
“Cutting deeply and quickly risks plunging the country back into recession – public services are too precious to be turned into a political football.”
UNISON UK Press Release
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Thursday, June 3, 2010
UNISON condemns Israeli attack on Gaza Flotilla and UK Government's "muted" response
Thu 3 June 2010
UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector union, today unreservedly condemned the Israeli attack on the Gaza Flotilla and the killing of ten civilians calling the British Government’s response “muted”.
A statement from the union’s ruling body – its National Executive Council – sent very deep condolences to the families of the dead, and a commitment to sending a formal protest to the Israeli embassy in the UK.
Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON, said:
“The Israel attack on this aid flotilla, which was also in international waters, is an outrage. We send our deepest condolences to the families of the ten civilians who were killed in this raid.
“The Government’s muted response to the attack is in stark contrast to those other countries who called for the immediate release of their citizens being held by the Israelis. Volunteers were held prisoner by Israel and pressured into signing statements saying that they had entered into Israel illegally. This is a disgraceful way to treat a convoy bringing much needed aid to the people of Gaza.
“On behalf of the union’s National Executive Council, I will be making a formal protest to the Israeli embassy in London as well as writing to Foreign Secretary, William Hague, about the UK government’s muted response.
“I will be urging our members to support the national demonstration in London on 5 June to show the strength of feeling.”
UNISON is calling for an immediate, unconditional end to the siege of Gaza by Israel and for humanitarian aid, including construction materials for the buildings destroyed 18 months ago, to be allowed in.
ends
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UNISON concerned over deep job cuts in NHS Scotland
Date: Thursday 3 June 2010
The boards have submitted their plans to Cabinet Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon who now intends to publish the full cuts. UNISON welcomes the publication of workforce projections and the establishment of a new partnership group with the trade unions to scrutinise the workforce plans.
Tam Waterson, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee said:
“We are concerned at the scale of these planned job cuts. The Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure no compulsory redundancies is welcome, as is the involvement of unions in scrutiny of the health board plans. But it is clear that we face deep cuts which will impact on our vital health services.”
1250 job cuts are planned for Greater Glasgow and Clyde this year, 700 in Lothian – with another 1,300 in the pipeline for next year. Tayside plans to 500 full time equivalent jobs. Grampian has announced 600 job cuts, and Highland plans to cut 100.
NHS Scotland requires to save £270 million in the current financial year to balance the books following a tight Scottish budget settlement in February.
Meanwhile the health service faces rising inflation and increased demand.
Further pressure on funding is likely after the new coalition government at Westminster implements its emergency budget in June. The severe cuts expected in the deficit reduction plan will have inevitable knock-on effects in Scotland over the next few years.
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UNISON, the biggest Scottish health union, has expressed concern over deep job cuts planned by health boards across Scotland.
The boards have submitted their plans to Cabinet Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon who now intends to publish the full cuts. UNISON welcomes the publication of workforce projections and the establishment of a new partnership group with the trade unions to scrutinise the workforce plans.
Tam Waterson, Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee said:
“We are concerned at the scale of these planned job cuts. The Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure no compulsory redundancies is welcome, as is the involvement of unions in scrutiny of the health board plans. But it is clear that we face deep cuts which will impact on our vital health services.”
1250 job cuts are planned for Greater Glasgow and Clyde this year, 700 in Lothian – with another 1,300 in the pipeline for next year. Tayside plans to 500 full time equivalent jobs. Grampian has announced 600 job cuts, and Highland plans to cut 100.
NHS Scotland requires to save £270 million in the current financial year to balance the books following a tight Scottish budget settlement in February.
Meanwhile the health service faces rising inflation and increased demand.
Further pressure on funding is likely after the new coalition government at Westminster implements its emergency budget in June. The severe cuts expected in the deficit reduction plan will have inevitable knock-on effects in Scotland over the next few years.
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Tuesday, June 1, 2010
UNISON and Stow students plan balloon protest over funding threats
Tuesday 1 June 2010
Staff and students from Glasgow’s Stow College will hold a mass protest outside Anniesland College on Wednesday 2 June at 9 a.m.
Representatives from the Scottish Funding Council are chairing a conference in the College on the same day.
Following the protest, 75 balloons will be released in Glasgow city centre, representing the 75 years Stow College has been serving the people of Scotland.
This double event is part of the campaign to fight the Funding Council’s decision to transfer over half of Stow’s courses into the proposed new City of Glasgow College, endangering more than 300 jobs and 4,000 student places.
Staff, students and the wider community which Stow College represents are fighting the Funding Council’s decision to transfer these courses, which could effectively render the College unviable.
The plans, which have been questioned by other Colleges and Universities, include spending £300m on a city centre development. This comes at a time when demand for College places during the recession is not being met due to a lack of funds to pay for additional courses.
UNISON believes that Stow is being victimised after refusing to become involved in the New City College project which has already cost countless millions, 19 jobs and 54 childcare places with the closure of Thistle Nursery at the Nautical College.
A UNISON spokesperson from Stow College said:
“Following our successful lobby at the Scottish Parliament, UNISON members have united with concerned students and plan to take the fight directly to the Funding Council.
“The Funding Council has arranged a conference to discuss their plan for education in the city centre without including the representatives of unions or students who will be directly affected.”
A spokesperson for Stow Students Against the Cuts said:
“As students at Stow College, we are horrified to learn of the proposed cuts that the Scottish Funding Council wants to make. The college is such a valuable resource for so many people, both in Glasgow, and from further afield.
“The opportunities it provides for adult learners and asylum seeking students, in particular, are absolutely vital, especially in this uncertain climate of employment.
“We wish to show our support to Stow College, the staff and lecturers, and the students of the future. We can't let the Scottish Funding Council run such a well respected college into the ground”.
The joint protest organised by the education union, UNISON, and Stow Students Against the Cuts will take place at Anniesland College at 9.00 a.m. and the balloon release will be in Buchanan Street at the Royal Concert Hall steps at 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday the 2nd of June.
ends
Stay in touch with UNISON Scotland's latest news releases on our website
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/index.html
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Staff and students from Glasgow’s Stow College will hold a mass protest outside Anniesland College on Wednesday 2 June at 9 a.m.
Representatives from the Scottish Funding Council are chairing a conference in the College on the same day.
Following the protest, 75 balloons will be released in Glasgow city centre, representing the 75 years Stow College has been serving the people of Scotland.
This double event is part of the campaign to fight the Funding Council’s decision to transfer over half of Stow’s courses into the proposed new City of Glasgow College, endangering more than 300 jobs and 4,000 student places.
Staff, students and the wider community which Stow College represents are fighting the Funding Council’s decision to transfer these courses, which could effectively render the College unviable.
The plans, which have been questioned by other Colleges and Universities, include spending £300m on a city centre development. This comes at a time when demand for College places during the recession is not being met due to a lack of funds to pay for additional courses.
UNISON believes that Stow is being victimised after refusing to become involved in the New City College project which has already cost countless millions, 19 jobs and 54 childcare places with the closure of Thistle Nursery at the Nautical College.
A UNISON spokesperson from Stow College said:
“Following our successful lobby at the Scottish Parliament, UNISON members have united with concerned students and plan to take the fight directly to the Funding Council.
“The Funding Council has arranged a conference to discuss their plan for education in the city centre without including the representatives of unions or students who will be directly affected.”
A spokesperson for Stow Students Against the Cuts said:
“As students at Stow College, we are horrified to learn of the proposed cuts that the Scottish Funding Council wants to make. The college is such a valuable resource for so many people, both in Glasgow, and from further afield.
“The opportunities it provides for adult learners and asylum seeking students, in particular, are absolutely vital, especially in this uncertain climate of employment.
“We wish to show our support to Stow College, the staff and lecturers, and the students of the future. We can't let the Scottish Funding Council run such a well respected college into the ground”.
The joint protest organised by the education union, UNISON, and Stow Students Against the Cuts will take place at Anniesland College at 9.00 a.m. and the balloon release will be in Buchanan Street at the Royal Concert Hall steps at 12.30 p.m. on Wednesday the 2nd of June.
ends
Stay in touch with UNISON Scotland's latest news releases on our website
http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/news/index.html
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