Latest news with #UNISON
Medscape
3 days ago
- Business
- Medscape
NHS Gets £750m Boost to Fix Crumbling Buildings
The government has allocated £750 million to the NHS in England for tackling long-term maintenance problems. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the money could be used by hospitals, mental health units, and ambulance services to mend leaky pipes, improve ventilation, and solve electrical issues. The investment aims to prevent operations and appointments being cancelled because of crumbling infrastructure. However, healthcare leaders said the cash injection is a 'drop in the ocean' and just a fraction of the estimated £14 billion maintenance backlog across the health service estate. More than £100 million will be put aside for maternity units to replace outdated ventilation systems in neonatal intensive care units and create better environmental conditions for vulnerable babies and their families. Scale of NHS Disrepair Hospital services were disrupted more than 4000 times in 2023-2024 due to poor quality buildings, according to England's Health Secretary Wes Streeting. Streeting highlighted the severity of the problem, noting that burst pipes had flooded emergency departments, faulty electrical systems had shut down operating theatres, and mothers had been forced to give birth in substandard facilities. A recent UNISON survey revealed NHS hospitals were plagued by rats, cockroaches, and sewage leaks. The survey also flagged problems with leaky roofs and out-of-order toilets. Simon Corben, director for NHS estates and facilities at NHS England, said repairs were overdue. 'Fixing the backlog of maintenance at NHS hospitals will help prevent cancellations,' he stated. Earlier this month, the DHSC pledged £102 million this financial year for GP surgeries to upgrade outdated premises. It followed an independent report by Lord Ara Darzi last year which concluded that outdated, inefficient buildings were unfit for purpose, created barriers to delivering high-quality patient care, and reduced productivity. 'Small Downpayment' Welcomed Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, welcomed the latest announcement, particularly noting support for the 'often overlooked' mental health and ambulance sectors. However, he pointed out that 'an eye-watering near £14 billion is needed just to patch up buildings and equipment,' with mental health services alone facing a maintenance backlog exceeding £1 billion. Tim Mitchell, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, said NHS facilities had fallen into a 'dire state of disrepair' that was hampering efforts to reduce waiting lists. "With the NHS maintenance backlog currently standing at £13.8 billion, this really is just a drop in the ocean," he said. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, described the spending boost as a 'small down payment' on the maintenance backlog. 'At £750 million a year, it would take almost 20 years to clear the backlog, assuming it does not continue to grow,' he warned. Healthcare leaders called for new investment models, including private sector involvement, to address the funding shortfall more rapidly. Projects are due to be delivered during the 2025-2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin this summer, the DHSC said.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
East Suffolk Council signs anti-violence charter
A local authority has claimed to be the first in the East of England to sign a charter aimed at ending violence at Suffolk Council and its trading company East Suffolk Services Limited put their names to UNISON's End Violence at Work local authority said some of its frontline staff in waste management were recently subjected to extreme and threatening behaviour."It is with regret that this charter is even needed," said Green party councillor and leader of East Suffolk Council, Caroline Topping. "Let us not forget, our staff are serving their communities and I thank them for their service."To qualify for the charter, organisations must meet 10 key standards, providing evidence of clear reporting and investigation procedures, and ongoing data monitoring of violent must also be trained to handle threatening situations charter aims to encourage organisations to protect employees working in public services from acts of abuse, assault and intimidating East Suffolk branch secretary Kerry Rayden said: "No-one should be subjected to violence at work."It's fantastic that East Suffolk Council and East Suffolk Services are showing this commitment to employees to keep them safe.""Hopefully other local employers will follow suit." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Dorset NHS staff protest against jobs transfer to subsidiary
Staff at three NHS trusts in Dorset have been protesting about plans to contract their jobs to a HealthCare (DHC), Dorset County Hospital (DCH) and University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) announced in April that all estates and facilities staff would transfer to a new organised by UNISON, were held at Dorset County Hospital on Thursday, Poole Hospital on Wednesday and Royal Bournemouth Hospital on bosses said the subsidiary, called SubCo, would be "100% owned" by the trusts and all staff would retain their NHS terms and conditions, and their NHS pension. Union member Lynne Hubbard said: "I think it's a very, very serious attack on workers in the health service but also a serious attack for people who might have a future hope to work in the NHS on proper and equal terms and conditions."You ultimately get what you pay for. I've been in the NHS for 40 years and I've seen privatisation of domestics and caterers and estates and porters and I can tell you, you don't get the same service."When people are not treated fairly, their motivation is affected and they look for other jobs so we can see an exit of people."Ms Hubbard said, although staff would initially be on the same terms, regulations governing the transfer of employment rights - known as TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings - Protection of Employment) - allowed for future said: "Under TUPE, these can be changed at any time and all the hospital has to prove is that it's not making money."The NHS is not here to make money from our domestics and porters and staff." In a joint statement, UHD chief executive Siobhan Harrington and DCH and DHC chief executive Matthew Bryant said:"Staff working in estates, facilities management and procurement are highly valued colleagues and absolutely central to the provision of safe, effective patient care. "We are committed to engaging with them to protect services across Dorset and maintain long-term security for staff. "Any new subsidiary company would be 100 per cent owned by Dorset County Hospital, Dorset HealthCare and University Hospitals Dorset. "Very importantly colleagues would retain their NHS terms and conditions, and their NHS pension. "All colleagues have the right to participate in protests in their own time and this should not impact on patient care and the running of our services." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Norfolk Mind counsellors to strike over pay dispute
Counsellors at a mental health charity are due to go on strike in a dispute over said its members at Norfolk and Waveney Mind would stage a walkout between 09:00 BST and 14: regional organiser Cameron Matthews said counsellors employed by NHS trusts received larger salaries and that Mind staff were under paid by "thousands of pounds a year".A Mind spokesperson said "we remain committed to working collaboratively with all parties". The walkout is timed with Mental Health Awareness Week and some staff are expected to join a picket line outside Mind's office in said some fully qualified counsellors were getting paid trainee-level rates."These counsellors are committed to their jobs and want to be out there helping patients, but the inflexible attitudes of their managers have forced them to strike," he said."Mind and [the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust] can still prevent this strike by recognising the work counsellors do and paying them what they deserve." 'Highest quality care' Norfolk and Waveney Mind said it had taken proactive steps to minimise disruption to talking therapies during the day and none of the charity's other services would be service employs about 400 members of and Waveney Mind said "only 17" of its counsellors - all of whom were trained in giving NHS talking therapies - had voted in favour of strike action.A Mind spokesperson said the pay levels with counsellors had been set as part of a contractual agreement, which ensured they were "aligned with the NHS agenda for change pay levels".They continued: "We remain committed to working collaboratively with all parties involved in this dispute to find a constructive and appropriate resolution that addresses the concerns raised by counsellors, while continuing to deliver the highest quality care." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Rhyl Journal
13-05-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
Council given ‘independent advice' on Denbighshire Leisure sale
At a behind-closed-doors meeting on March 26, council members voted 25-18 in favour of selling Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL) to the private sector. DLL was in the process of being sold to Merseyside-based private equity firm River Capital for £1.5million, but it was confirmed on April 30 that the investor has now pulled out. Yesterday (May 12), the council published a 'position statement' on the matter, in which it also addressed a 17-page report by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), and commissioned by public service union UNISON, which heavily criticised the proposal. It stated: 'This document was prepared without the council's involvement or consent. 'The document is, therefore, based on the instructions given by UNISON, and specifically states that it should not be relied upon by any other party. 'The document contains a disclaimer to the effect that it does not constitute legal advice, does not draw conclusions and does not make recommendations. 'The document raises many questions which could have been answered had APSE or UNISON involved the council in the production of the document. 'The council committed to closer working with unions as the proposal progressed, and arrangements had been put in place prior to the council being informed that it would not proceed.' The council said it sought independent, professional advice when considering the proposal to sell off DLL. This included advice on a number of issues, such as the council's power to enter the transaction, procurement and contract issues, employment and pension matters, taxation, subsidy control and property issues. Independent advice was also received regarding the valuation of DLL, the council said. Its statement added: 'The council has been asked about the costs of this proposal to-date. The council has spent £62,000 to-date on independent advice. 'Although the proposal that generated this advice will not now proceed, much of that advice will be relevant to alternative models for the company and is not therefore an abortive cost. 'It should also be noted that this advice was sought in anticipation of a significant capital receipt of £1.5m to be received by the council for the sale of the shares and the revised contractual relationship would not only have prevented existing costs from increasing, but would result in the fee paid by the council for the provision of leisure services reducing in each year of its operation over a 10-year period by 10 per cent. 'This 10 per cent reduction in year two would be £152,000, increasing cumulatively to a reduction of £930,000 by year 10.' Prior to the March 26 meeting, meanwhile, councillors were invited to two workshops about the proposal. The council said the decision to approve the proposal on March 26 followed a 'lengthy debate' and 'substantial information supported by professional advice'. On the decision to hold the meeting behind closed doors, the council said: 'The investor and DLL operate in a commercial world, and it was considered that, in order to protect the commercial interests of all parties, the proposal should be considered in private. 'This was confirmed by a vote by elected members in accordance with the law.' The council concluded by saying it 'remains committed to helping DLL to find a way to continue this success'.
