Welsh nurse's heartfelt plea for more personal protective equipment so they can return to families 'unscathed' after pandemic, UNISON Swansea Bay Health branch's Libby Nolan video featured and regional secretary Tanya Palmer quoted, Wales Online.

Welsh heath and care workers have no access to PPE, Unison Cymru says, regional secretary Tanya Palmer quoted, Morning Star

Health workers feel 'actively discouraged' to protect themselves over PPE supply fears, references open letter from healthcare workers endorsed by UNISON, ITV Wales

For the latest facts about Corvid 19 check out

phw.nhs.wales

Unsocial hours payments

The Minister has agreed the reinstatement of the unsocial hours payments from day one for a temporary period and to enable the release of the ‘held’ back pay. 

REGIONAL HEALTH COMMITTEE  1/2020

(This is an occasional Newsletter for Branch Secretaries in Health)

News

Sick Pay (25^th March 2020)

Update for all Regional Health Committee delegates:

Due to the current situation regarding corona virus, the Health Minister has agreed to the reinstatement of the unsocial hours payments from day one for a temporary period.  The Minister has also agreed to enable the release of any ‘held’ back pay. 

We will be working with Welsh Government to update the FAQs and to arrange for release of the payments.

Student Nurse 

England have agreed guidelines for Student Nurses which were circulated last week.  We are currently awaiting confirmation of the position in Wales.

PPE

We know that there are problems about PPE and Tanya Palmer our Regional Secretary, is daily letting the Welsh Government know our concerns.  Can you let us know if your members face further problems over the next week.

Donna Hutton, 

Acting Head of Health

27 March 2020

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and the COVID-19

Health and local government, including social care. (England Only)

You will know that during the COVID-19 pandemic the provision of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to workers providing public services is an extremely important issue causing concern to many members.  

UNISON has received reports of shortages of equipment across sectors, particularly in social care.

The Department of Health and Social Care has now confirmed a phone number and email address for the National Supply Disruption Service (NSDR).  The following information applies to health, local government and social care providers.

• Health and social care providers should order their supplies is the usual way, through usual channels.
• If the health or social care provider cannot obtain the necessary supplies, they can escalate that to the National Supply Disruption Response service (NSDR). This is a disruption resolution service and while it can provide some limited supplies, it is not an ordering line for PPE.
• The NSDR phone number is: 0800 915 9964  
• The email address is supplydisruptionservice@nhsbsa.nhs.uk (Emails will be answered within one hour)

Where UNISON is made aware of shortages of PPE, the employer should be strongly encouraged to contact the NSDR to report the shortage and request resolution.

We are seeking clarification on whether or not employees can report issues directly to the NSDR and we will update this advice as soon as we have this information.

Government advice on PPE can be found here:

NHS: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-infection-prevention-and-control 

Social care: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-residential-care-supported-living-and-home-care-guidance 

For UNISON sector specific advice on PPE, see these links:

Healthcare workers https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/health-care/big-issues/covid-19-advice-health-workers/ 

Social care workers https://www.unison.org.uk/care-workers-your-rights/coronavirus-advice-social-care-workers/  

Local government workers: https://www.unison.org.uk/at-work/local-government/coronavirus-guidance-local-government-workers/ 

Letter signed by healthcare workers

1000 NHS workers appeal to Welsh Government for ‘urgent steps’ to tackle coronavirus, references UNISON and TUC support, Nation.Cymru

Welsh Government announcement on PPE

UNISON welcomes provision of personal protective equipment pledge from health minister to combat coronavirus, regional secretary Tanya Palmer quoted, Leader

Five more people with coronavirus die in Wales, taking nation’s total to 22, Tanya again quoted, Express and Star

• We must all abide by the lockdown rules, says UNISON

  Posted on 23 March 2020

Dear UNISON member, 

 

URGENT APPEAL TO WELSH GOVERNMENT FROM NHS WALES WORKERS

 

We are writing this email to you as a member who works within the health sector in Wales and we want to do our best to support you at this time.  

 

Last week, UNISON and the Wales TUC united with campaign group C19 Action Wales calling for urgent action for NHS Wales workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are calling for all our members working in the health sector in Wales to sign up to the campaign.

 

The campaign is calling to:

·         Institute mass testing and tracing or all NHS workers and their families, as well as staff such as care workers in other front line services with vulnerable groups;

·         Urgently supply adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for all NHS staff and others working with suspected cases, from Doctors, to carers and porters;

·         Introduce routine testing of all current and new inpatients;

·         Create an agreed, standardised admission route for assessment and testing of anyone presenting with respiratory/COVID-19 symptoms at all front line medical services   and specialisms, not just GPs and A&E (i.e. mental health services, paediatrics and radiography);

·         Institute an immediate ban on all non-essential hospital visiting;

·         Ensure NHS staff are being advised on safe working and are able to take rest periods to avoid burnout;

·         Immediately suspend hospital accommodation fees for staff;

·         Immediately requisition all private healthcare facilities so they may be used to treat the sick;

·         Urgently order and/or manufacture new ventilators on an industrial scale;

·         Draft healthcare workers with ICU experience into hospitals;

·         Produce an urgent strategy for staff recruitment and rapid training, passing emergency legislation if needed. 

 

UNISON is in regular discussion with Welsh Government on these issues and we will continue to campaign to ensure you are supported in the vital work you are undertaking. If you are able to, please sign up to the campaign. The more people who sign, the stronger our voice.

 

Finally, we are witnessing true public services every minute of every day during this crisis. For all you are doing - thank you. 

 

Yours sincerely, 

 

Tanya Palmer 

UNISON Cymru Wales Secretary

Assistance for healthcare workers

NHS staff describe ‘dangerous’ shortage of intensive care beds amid coronavirus outbreak, (references UNISON's backing of the letter signed by 50 healthcare workers), ITV Wales. 

Same story on Wales Online, again referencing UNISON's support for the campaign, Healthcare workers in Wales call for 'urgent steps' to support frontline NHS staff

Thursday 19 March 2020


Student nurses willing to help NHS but need proper support, says UNISON

Responding to the publication of draft guidance today (Thursday) on the use of nursing students to help the NHS cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“Never before has the NHS faced a challenge on this scale. Combating the coronavirus requires unprecedented measures.

“Making sure the health service has as many staff as possible is paramount.

“Many student nurses want to make their skills available at this time of exceptional need. But in a way that’s as safe as possible for them and patients.

“Under these changes, final-year student nurses can offer to support the NHS on paid placements and join a special section of the nursing register.

“But they must be able to return to learning and complete more supported clinical placements, if needed, once the crisis is over.

“The long-term future of the NHS must also be protected. That means not rushing anyone into becoming a fully qualified registered nurse.”

​Notes to editors:

- UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in both the public and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes T: 0207 121 5255 M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen T: 0207 121 5463 M: 07778 158175 E: l.chinchen@unison.co.uk

Coronavirus Guidance and Advice from the UHB

Recruitment/Engagement Event

All Recrutment/Engagement events have been suspended for the forseeable future!

You can still join online or by asking your local rep.

Our new branch app is now available for i phone and android devices. 

Scan the QR code below to download.

App created by

• Find out more

Friday 6 December 2019
For immediate release

Mission to see a GP is no laughing matter, says UNISON

The stress and anxiety of trying to get a GP appointment is at the heart of a new short film from UNISON.

Join the queue takes a tongue-in-cheek look at a situation that’s all too familiar – frantically trying to contact the surgery the moment the lines open.

As a clock counts down and the tension builds, a family is poised over landlines, mobile phones and online booking systems trying to be among the lucky few to get an appointment.

With their young daughter feeling ill and the clock finally striking 8am, there’s a brief moment of hope as the call connects. Moments later, crushing disappointment fills the room as a recorded message tells them they’re number 57 in the queue.

Although the film is humorous, it does touch on a truth that for many getting a GP appointment is increasingly difficult.

Almost a decade of funding cuts to the health service are to blame, says UNISON.

The video is launched as the UK prepares to vote in a general election with the future of the NHS in the balance.

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis said: “Nine years of Tory cuts have ravaged the NHS, with decisions made in Westminster affecting families’ daily lives across the country.

"Hospitals with ambulances stacked up outside have huge staff vacancies and hard-working employees are frazzled trying to fill the gaps, while patients face long waiting times in A&E when they can’t get a GP appointment. Everyone who works for and uses the NHS can see how the government has squeezed our health service. 

"When walking into polling stations next week, people should think about the NHS and the improvements that are desperately needed.” 

Notes to editors:
- The film is available on YouTube.
- UNISON is the UK’s largest union, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in both the public and private sectors. 

Media contacts:
Garfield Myrie T: 0207 121 5546 M: 07432 741565 E: g.myrie@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes T: 0207 121 5255 M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

Have you received the latest copy of U magazine?

If not your details may be out of date.

KEEP YOUR DETAILS UP TO DATE!

Help us help you!

It is important that you keep your personal details up to date.

Have you moved address, changed your telephone number or email address?

If you have, you need to update this information!

www.unison.org.uk 

My UNISON link

If we don’t have your correct contact details you will miss out on membership offers, announcements or information about voting ballots that may be held.

The new UK living wage

NHS pay agreement in England and Wales falls short

The new UK living wage was announced by the Living Wage Foundation this week.

It will be £9.30 across the UK and £10.75 in London. Employers registered as Living Wage employers have until May 2020 to implement the changes.

The Foundation Living Wage is distinct from the legal minimum wages which are £8.21 for workers aged 25 or over with lower rates for younger workers and apprentices.

Both Labour and the Conservatives have announced minimum wage policies ahead of the general election. The Conservative pledge is to reach a minimum wage of £10.50 by 2024 for workers aged 21 or over. Labour’s pledge is for £10 for all workers, regardless of age in 2020.

In 2018 NHS unions led by UNISON broke the Conservative government’s hated public sector pay cap with a three-year pay deal that won the living wage for over 100,000 NHS staff – the largest group of workers to ever win that in one go. The pay deals in England, Wales and Scotland gave rises of £2,000-£2,600 for the lowest paid NHS staff, which at the time took them above the Living Wage rate.

However, the new Living Wage rate means the NHS pay agreement in England and Wales falls short, as the lowest rate for Band 1 and 2 will be £9.21 from April 2020. The lowest rate in Scotland will be £9.45. Staff in Northern Ireland are still fighting for the full pay deal.

Work is underway to prepare for when the current deals end in 2021. Going into the next pay round measures to continue bearing down on low pay and ensure that the NHS exceeds the Living Wage will be a high priority for us.

We continue to campaign for the NHS pay deal for all health workers.

What have unions ever done for us?

In 2018 NHS unions led by UNISON broke the Conservative government’s hated public sector pay cap with a three-year pay deal that won the living wage for over 100,000 NHS staff – the largest group of workers to ever win that in one go. The pay deals in England, Wales and Scotland gave rises of £2,000-£2,600 for the lowest paid NHS staff, which at the time took them above the Living Wage rate.

Cardiff and Vale UHB to offer free nextbike membership to its staff

Friday, 8 November 2019

 

Cardiff and Vale UHB has been a keen champion of Cardiff’s bicycle sharing scheme, nextbike, since its launch in May 2018. 

 

Now, the health board is taking the next step in its partnership with nextbike by offering its staff free membership to the scheme thanks to part-funding from UNISON’s Cardiff and Vale Health Branch.

 

The mission of Cardiff and Vale UHB is simple: “caring for people, keeping people well.” It means that the UHB considers it to be its responsibility to not only treat people when they’re ill but also do everything it can to help people stay as healthy as they can for as long as possible.

 

This ambition extends to its staff and the UHB, strives to ensure that staff are looked after and empowered to make healthy choices wherever possible. A variety of projects, from the Employee Well-being Service to ensuring that healthy options are available in the hospital restaurants, are constantly being developed to help staff be as healthy as they can.

 

 

Staff members at Cardiff and Vale UHB are not immune from the wider determinants of health that affect the rest of our population and issues such as air pollution and sedentary lifestyles are key amongst them.

 

By working with nextbike, the UHB can address both of these issues by encouraging staff to travel actively to and from work, which will in turn reduce the total amount of emissions that it, and its staff, produces.

 

In April 2019, Cardiff and Vale UHB was one of fourteen public sector organisations in Cardiff to sign the Healthy Travel Charter and offering its staff free membership to nextbike is just one of a number of actions that will be taken to promote active travel and reduce emissions.

 

The health board is able to offer 1,500 members of staff free membership thanks to the generosity of UNISON’s Cardiff and Vale Health Branch, who provided half the funding, while the UHB provided the other half.

 

Memberships will be offered to staff in gradual tranches, on a first-come-first-serve basis. The first cohort of 130 memberships will be available soon as a pilot, in order to ensure that the process for staff to use the scheme is smooth and without any barriers.

 

Abigail Harris, Executive Director of Strategic Planning at Cardiff and Vale UHB, said, “This is a significant step towards a more sustainable future for the UHB. By encouraging our staff to cycle to and from work, and to meetings on different sites during the day, we’re working to reduce the amount of congestion and air pollution on our hospital sites as well as keeping our staff active and healthy.”

 

“I would like to sincerely thank UNISON for their generous contribution and to the UHB’s Capital, Estates and Facilities Team for securing nextbike stations at our University Hospital of Wales and Woodland House sites.”

 

Stuart Egan, Lead Health And Safety Representative (Trade Unions) for Cardiff and Vale UHB,  said, “The Cardiff & Vale Health Branch are proud to have provided half of the funding for this project to ensure that staff members are supported to make healthy choices such as cycling to work. I look forward to seeing many more of the UHB’s staff members cycling to work in the near future but I would encourage them to be safe and wear a helmet and high visibility gear, especially when riding on the roads.”

 

Sam Coldham, nextbike Business Development Manager, said: "We're always keen to speak with organisations large and small to see how working with nextbike could benefit their workforce, so we're delighted to be partnering with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board to deliver this scheme.

 

"The Health Board has been a vocal nextbike supporter since the scheme launched, so it's great that so many of its workforce will be able to enjoy nextbike membership for free. By cycling instead of taking the car, staff will not only improve their personal health but will also help with the important challenges of reducing carbon emissions and congestion across the city."

 

Staff can apply for free nextbike membership here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CavuhbNextbike

 

Teams are encourgaed to print this poster and display in staff areas so that all staff can access the scheme.

 

The 'Save Barry Hospital Ward' petition is live on the Welsh Government website. Please take a moment to sign and join our campaign to defend the Hospital ward."

 

https://www.assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx?PetitionID=1601

This year's Merthyr Rising Festival Trade Union March

Unison is a main sponsor of Merthyr Rising Festival

Ten Y Fan Challenge

completed

Well done Team Mike!

£525 raised so far. There is still time to make a donatioin, see link below.

Hi all,

Many of you may already know my son Michael and myself are doing a sponsored walk ten times up Pen Y Fan within 24 hours to raise money for a children’s charity. We would very much appreciate if you are able to sponsor us and any donation would be greatly received. Please right click on the donate link below.

Donate now

Many thanks in anticipation,

Mike

_____________

Mike Jones

Branch Secretary

BRANCH WEBSITE:    www.cavunison.co.uk

Tel:           029 2074 8280

Fax:          029 2074 8279

E.Mail:     Unison.office.uhw@wales.nhs.uk

Mark Drakeford calls for

Robin Hood Tax

Mark Drakeford AM with UNISON Cymru Wales regional secretary Stephanie Thomas

Welsh Labour leadership candidate Mark Drakeford AM, has called upon the UK Government to introduce a Robin Hood Tax to provide much-needed funds for vital community services.

The innovative tax on business financial transactions could deliver millions of pounds for cash-strapped Welsh councils. It could raise £5bn of additional revenue a year from a tiny tax of about 0.05% on transactions carried out by financial institutions – not ordinary individuals.

Public services union, UNISON and the Robin Hood Tax Campaign, together wrote to the three Welsh Labour leadership candidates urging them to endorse the campaign to introduce a Financial Transactions Tax, popularly known as a Robin Hood Tax. The trade union says:

• Four months of a Robin Hood Tax could reverse all cuts to total Welsh government spending since austerity began2
• Two weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could prevent the need for further cuts to Welsh Government spending on public services over the next few years3
• Ten days of a Robin Hood Tax could return the services for each vulnerable older person in Wales to the level provided before austerity began4
• Six weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could replace all funding currently provided by the EU for development in rural and deprived parts of Wales5

Mark Drakeford AM said,

“I have always been a supporter of the Robin Hood Tax and I’m very happy to support UNISON’s drive encouraging politicians to sign up to the campaign. A Robin Hood Tax is so effective because it collects small amounts of money on millions of transactions, which all add up to a significant contribution overall from those who can best afford it, to be shared out to those who need help the most.”

Stephanie Thomas, UNISON Cymru Wales regional secretary said,

“Public services such as libraries, youth services, parks and leisure services and environmental and food hygiene services have been damaged by UK Conservative government austerity and are in danger of withering away completely unless urgent investment is found.

“Time is running out to save services and protect our communities. A Robin Hood Tax would provide potentially huge sums for local authorities. This is sensible economics for our times and the Tax is supported by the likes of Bill Gates and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Well done to Mark Drakeford for signing up. UNISON calls on all Welsh politicians to do the same.”

Notes to editors:

• The Robin Hood Tax is also known as the Financial Transactions Tax

• Currently, there is a tax on the purchase of shares which delivers nearly £4bn to the UK exchequer each year. The Robin Hood Tax would close current loopholes on the Stamp Duty on shares and extend the tax to derivatives. This could raise £25 billion1 of additional revenue every five year parliament, potentially providing a new source of funding for local councils.

• The Robin Hood Tax is endorsed by a thousand economists, Bill Gates, Angela Merkel, Desmond Tutu, Michael Moore, Bill Nighy, Sienna Miller and Emma Thompson. It is official policy of the UK Labour Party and the Democrat Party in the USA.

• UNISON has been urging councillors to endorse the Robin Hood Campaign. To date, thirteen Welsh local authorities have no policy on the Robin Hood Tax. Nine councils have signed up to the campaign for a Robin Hood Tax:  Bridgend; Caerphilly; Cardiff; Ceredigion; Denbighshire; Neath Port Talbot; Newport; Swansea; Torfaen

• Find out more about the Financial Transactions Tax from the Robin Hood Tax campaign

Notes on calculations

1 Intelligence Capital, Improving Resilience, Increasing Revenue: The Case for Modernising the UK’s

Stamp Duty on Shares (2017), via https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2908464

2 £1.7bn cuts between 2010/11 TME of £15.8bn (£18.6bn in 2016 prices) and 2017/18 TME of £16.9bn (2016 prices) (TME includes RDEL, CDEL and AME)

3 £175m cuts projected between 2017-19 to Welsh Government RDEL and CDEL spending (AME not

included) (2017 prices)

4 £130m to return per capita social care spending levels for over 65s to 2010 levels:

http://www.walespublicservices2025.org.uk/files/2017/03/Waleshealthandsocialcarefinal_amended_042 017.pdf

5 £500m cost to replace all EU funding for rural and regional development schemes after Brexit:

https://www.ifs.org.uk/uploads/publications/docs/IFS%20report%20R120.pdf

Contact

Alastair Gittins, UNISON Press Officer on 07816 53 83 97



Click the link above to find out how to become a Unison Representative.

Join the UNISON lottery for as little as £1 a month and you could win cash prizes of up to £1,000.

By playing you also support our There for You charity.

Robin Hood tax would deliver millions for Welsh councils

An innovative tax on business financial transactions could deliver millions of pounds for cash-strapped Welsh councils.

Public services such as libraries, youth services, parks and leisure services and environmental and food hygiene services have been damaged by UK Conservative government austerity and are in danger of withering away completely unless urgent investment is found. The Robin Hood Tax, a small tax paid on financial trading, would provide enormous funds for Welsh public services at no financial cost to the overwhelming majority of the population.

• Four months of a Robin Hood Tax could reverse all cuts to total Welsh government spending since austerity began
• Two weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could prevent the need for further cuts to Welsh Government spending on public services over the next few years
• Ten days of a Robin Hood Tax could return the services for each vulnerable older person in Wales to the level provided before austerity began
• Six weeks of a Robin Hood Tax could replace all funding currently provided by the EU for development in rural and deprived parts of Wales

What can you do to help?

We want you to write to your Assembly Member and MP urging them to support an end to austerity; the introduction of a Robin Hood Tax and fair funding for Wales.

Download our Fair Funding for Wales model letter here.

Download our Robin Hood Tax briefing here.

Watch UNISON branch officers talking about why we need an end to austerity and a Robin Hood Tax

Watch head of local government Dominic MacAskill on our fair funding for Wales campaign

Visit the Robin Hood Tax campaign website