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This is a report from your regional representatives Mark Wareham, Trudie Martin and Alison Evans of the meeting of the Health Group Executive (HGE) held on 30th March 2017 in London.

Occupational Groups

Nursing and Midwifery

We received an update on the new NMC pre-registration process, the poor success rates for registration for nurses from overseas, the new ‘Care on the Cheap’ report on nursing assistants and carers, recruitment of student nurses, our new report ‘student nurses in the red’ and nursing awards.

Ambulance

We received an update on progress with the band 6 paramedic profile and work on Patient Transport, as group of workers largely privatised in England.

STAT

We received a copy of the new report on Seven Day Services.

Operational Services

We received a report on the One team week 5th to 9th June, Our Health Heroes awards, research on privatised cleaning services which show higher infection rates, the Carter Review and shared services (four pathfinder sites) and the Better Hospital Food campaign.

Cavendish Coalition report

UNISON is part of a coalition of organisations, including other unions and employer groups, which is lobbying on ‘staffing the health and social care system after Brexit’. The coalition have recently written to all four national governments spelling out our concerns about the threat to the status of European Economic Area nationals right to remain, transitional arrangements and the future immigration system.

Campaigns and projects update

We received an update on our work on hospital car parking charges, the mental health campaign, NHS pensions (the increase in cost on employers for administration of the scheme) and safe staffing.

NHS funding and policy

We received a report on the ongoing work responding to Sustainability and Transformation Plans and the update due for release the day after on the English Five Year Plan.

Pay, terms and conditions

NHS pay

We received an update on the government’s announcement of a 1% rise following the Pay Review Body work and the wider commentary from the PRB, some of which is helpful to our ongoing campaigning work. The HE agreed a consultation with members that will run through April. There was some debate about whether we curtail the consultation to conclude it before our health conference, but it was agreed to allow sufficient time for branches to do this work and for members to feed in their views.

Agenda for Change refresh

It was reported that refresh discussions are focusing on testing and options for bands 1-3 with the introduction of the new Government Minimum Wage.

Pay in private contractors

In line with the strategy previously agreed by the HGE, advice will be going out to branches with regards to the 2016/17 pay round.

Mark tabled a motion calling for a single pay claim to be submitted in Virgin Care and after a debate with some amendment to the motion this was accepted. The HGE will also receive a report on ongoing efforts to gain recognition in this employer.

Agency ban

We received a report on this announcement and UNISON strong critical response, particularly given the lack of consultation before the decision was made.

NHS Staff Council

The next meeting was due to take place the day after the HGE where work programmes will be agreed. We are participating in a discussion about shifts and rotas in the NHS and updates will be received on NHS Pensions and negotiations on exit payments. It is also anticipated that new guidance on apprenticeships will be agreed for publication.

Health conference 2017

Motions

We agreed our policy positions on various motions. We are opposing an amendment on a motion on pay which calls on us to submit a pay claim for 2018/19 and prepare an industrial action ballot. We are also resisting proposals that change our opposition to negative changes that arise out of STPs, to outright opposition to the STP project in general. Currently UNISON’s position is that we agree with health and social care organisations working together, and not competing, and will support positive in-house options for change, but we oppose cuts and privatisation that result from any joint working.

Arrangements

The HGE received an update on plans for this year’s health conference.

Other business

There was some debate about UNISON’s presence and involvement in the March ‘Health Campaigns Together’ demo in London. It was pointed out that UNISON did support this event, but regrettably due to some issues with timing, the decision to lend national support did not come till rather late in the planning process. It was however not ‘our’ demo and was well organised by those whose event it was.

Future meetings

The next meeting of the HGE will take place on 23rd April, immediately prior to health conference in Liverpool. The first meeting after conference should take place on 19th & 20th July in Leeds (which is our AGM).

Please contact us if you have any views or questions. For contact details visit the regional website at -http://www.unisonsouthwest.org.uk/committees-groups/healthcare-service-group/SWRegHealthReps.ashx