Emergency NHS summit ignores biggest health union

First Minister John Swinney has excluded the largest health union from tomorrow’s urgent Bute House summit to discuss the renewal and sustainability of Scotland’s NHS, says UNISON today (Tuesday).

The union has written to Mr Swinney calling the decision to exclude UNISON from Wednesday’s meeting a ‘slap in the face’ for staff who are working flat across the NHS to remedy the government’s consistent health policy failures.

UNISON says the summit was convened in haste after a week of bad media headlines. But only the royal colleges have been invited to discuss the future of the NHS.

UNISON co-lead for health Matt McLaughlin said: “Over 60,000 NHS staff will want to know why their voices are not important to John Swinney. This is a real slap in the face for nurses, midwives, and other specialist staff like call handlers, administrators and facilities workers.”

“A Bute House meeting to agree a way forward for the crisis hit NHS is welcome. But it’s nonsense to do this without the biggest and most diverse union in the NHS. UNISON represents staff working at all grades and in jobs right across the health service.”

“The NHS is one team and every worker is essential to ensure the efficient and effective care of patients. It’s a pity John Swinney is so out of touch that he has completely ignored the unions representing the majority of NHS staff.”

Notes to editors:

– The Bute House meeting invite was made immediately after First Minister’s Questions. The Scottish government said the purpose was to discuss how we can ‘work together to sustain and renew the NHS in Scotland. This critical conversation happens against the background of extraordinary ongoing work by staff in the NHS over a difficult winter. We urgently need to work together to set out a path that can bring hope to both staff and those who use NHS services.’

– Read the letter to the First Minister here

– UNISON is the largest health union representing over 60,000 NHS staff including: nurses, midwives, call handlers, paramedics, administrators, allied professional staff, caterers, porters, and facilities staff.

– UNISON is Scotland’s largest NHS union, it is also the UK’s largest union with members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, social care, police service, energy and utilities. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.