Strikes across the NHS edge closer as latest industrial action ballot begins

UNISON’s ballot of NHS workers is open from 27 October to 25 November 2022

Legendary union figure honoured with home town plaque

Thora Silverthorne created the National Association of Nurses and cared for the wounded in the Spanish Civil War

Health workers flag the benefits an inflation-busting pay rise would bring to the NHS

The government must wake up to the fact that nothing less than an above-inflation rise will do, says UNISON.

Health branches in South East make their feelings crystal clear

Over the past two weeks, Health Branches across the South East have once again made their feelings crystal clear, all NHS staff deserve a proper pay rise, and they will continue to campaign until one is delivered. The latest ‘2Daysfor2K’ took a step up from March/April, with 200 staff seen demonstrating at East Surrey along […]

Pay rise immediately would reassure undervalued staff to stay in NHS

Government’s approach to NHS pay is forcing workers to question their future

Game changing innovations in PPE at Southampton General

We hear from Rebecca Storer, a Health Care Assistant (HCA) and UNISON member at University Hospital Southampton, on what it’s been like working through the Covid-19 crisis, and how the crisis has led to innovations in PPE.   I’ve worked as an HCA in the Acute Medical Unit (AMU) at University Hospital Southampton for almost two years. We look after patients arriving from the Emergency […]

Supporting each other, laughing and sometimes, crying together

Pictured L-R: UNISON steward Toni Parker, Branch Secretary Debbie Miles, with members of the switchboard team at East Surrey Hospital The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted all the work that the frontline staff of the NHS and other key workers undertake. But if it wasn’t for the efforts and dedication of ‘behind the scenes’ departments such as […]

UNISON cancels annual health conference

NHS needs put before annual gathering UNISON has cancelled its annual health conference that was due to take place in Brighton from 6-8 April. The decision has been taken in light of the escalation of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The safety of participants and their families was also at the forefront of the […]

Portsmouth Health UNISON supports EU Citizens

Portsmouth Health UNISON have been working closely with our partners at Settled, the charitable arm of campaign group the3million, to raise awareness of the rights of EU Citizens post-Brexit. The government has introduced a new immigration scheme – known as ‘Settled Status’ – for people who wish to stay in Britain after our EU membership […]

Cuts to mental health leave staff facing violence and aggression says UNISON

Reduced funding to mental health services across the UK and in the South East is leaving staff vulnerable to violence and aggression from patients, and means they cannot provide the level of care needed, says UNISON. The report, Struggling to Cope, paints a bleak picture of the country’s mental health services – for both staff […]

Help stop the sale of NHS Professionals

UNISON backs We Own It campaign against sell-off – you can help by signing the petition and urging your MP to back the Early Day Motion 152

Don’t trust the Conservatives with the NHS, says UNISON general secretary

Speaking to UNISON’s annual health conference in Liverpool today (Monday), general secretary Dave Prentis said: “With the election just over six weeks away, the NHS needs those who have the will, the spirit and the dedication to fight for it, and to save it. “When the country goes to the polls, everything that matters to […]

UNISON South East members join the march for our NHS

The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it | founder of the NHS Aneurin Bevan

How safe is the staffing in your hospital?

UNISON will run its sixth annual safe NHS staffing levels survey on 7 February and is asking all members in the nursing family to take part

Patients’ lives at risk over ambulance call-outs, warns UNISON

Ambulance crews are having to ignore call-outs for heart-attack and stroke patients because emergency vehicles are too busy queuing outside a Portsmouth hospital, UNISON said. Fifty people including seriously ill patients were left without an ambulance on Monday 2 January this year despite calling South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS), according to new data. The figures […]