NHS suppliers - UNISON response

Commenting on research exposing the differing costs of medical supplies, Sara Gorton, UNISON Deputy Head of Health, said:

“It is a disgrace that medical suppliers should exploit the NHS by charging as much as they can get away with. NHS logistics was created to help bring in economies of scale, but that has since been privatised and it seems clear that the NHS and its patients are the losers.

“The unwillingness of Trusts to share information is part and parcel of introducing more of the culture of private companies into the NHS. Sharing information is key to extending good practice and patient care as well as getting the best value for money. Sadly introducing competition undermines willingness to do just that.

“Frontline’ is not just about clinical staff - research like this shows the important role in stopping waste that can be played by properly run finance and procurement departments with access to good quality information on costs.

“The NHS is under severe financial pressure because of the Government’s demands for £20bn in efficiency savings. More transparency in the marketplace would help to save jobs and reduce cuts which would be good news for patients, staff and the taxpayer.

Energy companies should pay their way - UNISON

A windfall tax on the billion pound profits of energy companies would be a vital step in reducing the UK’s financial problems, UNISON said today.

As British Gas owner Centrica looks set to announce £1.4bn profits, while simultaneously increasing prices by 6%, the UK’s largest union said the government should be looking at the balance sheets of energy companies to find alternatives to counter the austerity agenda.

Mike Jeram, UNISON head of business and environment, said:

“The billion pound profits of energy companies, announced at the same time as massive price hikes for their customers, are an insult to the many families who are struggling to get by as winter takes hold. austerity, it is only right that we ask big companies to contribute more out of their profits.

“The amounts of money being talked about are astronomical, and a windfall tax is just one way the government could intervene to take the edge off the cuts agenda.

“If these companies are going to continue to wring hard-pressed families for every penny they have, just to keep warm, it is only right that their enormous profits contribute to the society that lines their shareholders’ pockets.”

Centrica is the latest in a line of energy companies who have announced massive profits while at the same time inflicting substantial price increases onto their customers.

The union has already condemned energy firm SSE’s decision to increase bills by 9% while announcing £400m half-year profits, urging the government to make good on its promise to keep energy prices down as Winter begins to take hold.

Turning point turn on hard-working staff

UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today hit out at plans by the charity Turning Point to sack its 2,600 staff and re-employ them on worse terms and conditions, calling it a “vicious and unnecessary kick in the teeth for hard-working staff”.

The charity has been growing over the last three years and making bigger profits each year rising to £302,000 in 2011/12.

Simon Watson, UNISON National Officer for Charities, went on to say:

“Turning Point is behaving disgracefully. It is through the efforts of its staff that the charity has grown and makes a profit and their reward is to drive down their pay and conditions.

“The timing could hardly be worse – right before Christmas when staff have more demands on their family budget. A race to the bottom is not the way to attract and retain decent staff and that means that the charity’s clients will suffer"