UNISON Health Conference 2013

I attended UNISON Health Conference in Glasgow earlier in the week as a visitor. As anyone reading the blog would hopefully be aware, I'm standing for election to the NEC of UNISON as part of a Left slate, so I attended to meet members, observe the debates and pick up support. I also attended to raise the profile of the 4:1 Campaign which myself and several nursing colleagues are involved it, which is campaigning for mandatory minimum staffing levels in the NHS.

The response to the 4:1 campaign was really positive. Many attendees grabbed the leaflets when they saw the title and agreed that mandatory minimums were an absolute necessity, although there was a lot of disbelief as to whether we could win them while the Tories controlled the Department of Health. Several branch officers were interested in the campaign and agreed to circulate the materials to their members and get them involved in the campaign. Hopefully more will get in touch via the website and spread the camapaign amongst union members in the frontline of NHS services. Getting active involvement from staff on the wards will be crucial to seeing the campaign grow and become effective.

You can read more about the campaign here at the website www.4to1.org.uk

The first day of conference was heavy as the main subjects were the events at Mid Staffordshire and the Francis report, and the release of the results of UNISON's survey of nursing staff, which revealed the constant crisis is gripping the NHS as a result of budget cuts and privatisation.

Firstly though.....why did UNISON invite David Nicholson to UNISON Health Conference?!

Brighton Defend the NHS Demo

Yesterday activists from Defend the NHS, The Labour Representation committee and the GMB union organised a demonstration in defence of Brighton NHS. The demonstration was called to coincide with the arrival of Matthew Kershaw as NHS Trust Chief Executive. Kershaw is fresh from his role as Trust Special Administrator at Lewisham where he pushed through plans to close the A&E and Maternity services and close all the acute wards at the hospital, in the face of mass community opposition. I’ve written more about this issue here. I attended the demonstration as I have been active in the campaign to save Lewisham Hospital and wanted to show my solidarity with those in Brighton fighting to defend the NHS and oppose the repellent axe-man that is Kershaw.