Let's work together to make new QEU hospital a success, says UNISON general secretary

Date: Thursday 13 August 2015

Photo opportunity: Time: 12 noon
Date: Thursday 13 August 
Place: UNISON shop, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, 1345 Govan Road G51 4TF

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis is to visit the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital today (Thursday). 

Dave and UNISON's national head of health Christina McAnea will be given a tour of the brand new hospital by senior NHS managers, when they will meet patients and staff and spend time listening to UNISON members about their early experiences of working in the new buildings.

Dave will also officially open the new UNISON shop which is located in the main thoroughfare of the new hospital building.

UNISON general secretary (UK) Dave Prentis said: “UNISON is the biggest union in the new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, and we recruiting many new members every week. It’s important that I hear direct from them about both good and bad issues they face when providing day to day patient care.

"The new UNISON shop will be great asset. It will be a place where UNISON members can join up, get advice and support, and report problems. It's impossible to build a hospital as big and complex as this and for it not to have a few teething problems.

"Our members see things that hospital managers who are running a big hospital can sometimes miss. And they will have good ideas about how we can improve patient care. If everyone works together, this fantastic new hospital could meet its vision of providing world-leading patient care for many years to come.”

Notes to editors:

Dave Prentis will visit the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital on Thursday 13 August 2015
He will be available for photos at the UNISON hospital shop at 12 noon on Thursday  

Hospital website is here http://www.nhsggc.org.uk/patients-and-visitors/main-hospital-sites/queen-elizabeth-university-hospital-campus/the-queen-elizabeth-university-hospital-glasgow/

NHS porter’s workloads and stress go up as their wages go down, claims UNISON report

Wed 17 Dec 2014

NHS Porters are under pressure and their workloads are going up while the value of their wages are going down. The report also concludes that their training is patchy and there are reports of lack of equipment to allow them to do their job properly.

These are the conclusions of a study UNISON has conducted among NHS porters. This report also suggests a growth in zero hour contracts and widespread reports of understaffing.

The report ‘Breaking Point’ was derived from surveys of Porters across the NHS in Scotland. 

Tam Waterson Chair of UNISON Scotland’s Health Committee said, “This study shows that porters like other workers in the NHS are under stress, working harder but seeing the value of their wages go down. It increases pressure on all NHS workers which impacts on the delivery of services for patients. Porters aren’t the glamorous end of the NHS, but they matter and the NHS is a team effort and we need to take their concerns seriously”

ends

Notes to Editor

1. UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland, and UNISON is the biggest trade union in NHS Scotland

2. Full report, Breaking Point,  can be read here: http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/publicworks/BreakingPoint_HospitalPorterSurvey_Dec2014.pdf