UNISON HSCIC Branch Newsletter December 2017

0113 397 3344 branchsecretary@unison-hscic.org.uk unison-hscic.org.uk

Health and Social Care Information Centre Branch

UNISON News Winter 2017/18

News from the NHS Digital branch of UNISON

Stigma around mental health must end, says UNISON

Mental health services across the UK are struggling as a result of chronic underfunding and increased demand. This is having a negative effect on people who use these services and on the health and wellbeing of the staff who provide them.

UNISON is the largest union in the NHS and we believe there should be proper investment and support for vital mental health services.

UNISON general secretary

Dave Prentis urges employers to ‘take real action’ to support staff who suffer from mental health issues.

At UNISON’s mental health conference in October Dave Prentis stated “Too often mental health is a subject that too many are wary of talking about”.

“But we can and must talk about it, not least because the number of mental health cases we’re seeing is on the increase”.

“One in four of us will have mental health problems this year, but all too often, public sector employees face stigma or are treated unfairly at work as a result of their mental health.

“So fostering an open and supportive attitude to mental health in the workplace is crucial.

Providing an environment that

promotes good mental health is something we all – including all employers – should aspire to.

“Whether it’s supporting those with existing mental health conditions with reasonable adjustments, or making sure staff are not given tasks that would have a negative impact on their mental health. There’s so much more that all of us can do.

“Employers rely on their dedicated staff to provide essential services in often difficult circumstances, made worse by squeezed budgets and the need to “do more with less” approach.

Yet it can’t be forgotten that it is an employers’ duty to care for the health, safety and welfare of their staff and to reduce risk to them as far as they can. Our public service workers deserve no less.”

INSIDE

Mindfulness Introduction Day January 18th 2018 and 1st March 2018 THIS EDITION See page 2 for details...

Contact your branch UNISON is here to offer support, advice and representation.

If you need any advice or help please contact the Branch Secretary, Ali Mackenzie-Cooper on: 0113 397 3344 or email: branchsecretary@unison-hscic.org.uk If you fail to receive an immediate response and the matter is very urgent, you can also contact the Regional Enquiry Line on 0113 218 2627 or UNISON Direct on 0800 0 857 857.

Mindfulness Introduction Day January 18th 2018 and 1st March 2018 Leeds Hilton, Neville Street, Leeds, LS1 4BX This presentation and workshop is suitable for anyone wishing to explore how to incorporate Mindfulness into a busy home and work life. Beginners and those more experienced are all welcome.

There will be an opportunity for you to experience various practices of Mindfulness in a simple, straight forward way that you can apply immediately at home and at work. The atmosphere will be informal and friendly and there will be time to ask questions, gather information and hear anecdotes and examples of how Mindfulness can be used in your daily life.

What is included in the workshop You will learn what Mindfulness is really all about. Dispelling some of the myths.

How Mindfulness can help you to: live a healthier, calmer and more fulfilling life; become more focussed and effective at work; change habits of a Continued on page 3 >

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Boosting Confidence through Self-Defence Health Service Workers in Leeds spent this year’s International Women’s Day learning all about self-defence.

Two dozen women Health Service Workers are feeling a lot more confident after taking a self-defence class organised by the Branches Union Learning Rep (ULR) Gail Cammish. Gail is a Project Manager for NHS Digital and organised the two-hour course for International Women’s Day in March of this year.

It proved so popular that Gail is looking to run some more workshops based on the feedback that she received and from members telling their colleagues how good the sessions were. “Everyone who took part in the workshop found it very positive; it made them feel they would have the confidence and the moves if anybody did try to assault them” Gail says.

The Stay Safe Women’s Personal Safety Workshop is delivered by the Huddersfield based social enterprise Freedom Personal Safety, who are trained and accredited to deliver specialist self-defence, courses to women and young girls.

The workshop mixes practical advice such as, not being distracted by talking on a mobile phone when walking home late at night, with practical work in pairs practicing the most effective techniques to stop an attempted assault.

Sofia Layton, another NHS Digital worker signed up for the workshop after she had to fend off an attempted attack while waiting for her bus home, when one member of a group of aggressive young men thrust his hand in her face. “Thankfully my instinctive actions were to push his hand to the side away from my face and shout a couple of choice words right at him” Sofia recalls “The lad backed off and ran to his friends”. When the invitation to the UNISON workshop arrived just a few days later, Sofia immediately signed up.

“I’m not sure that I would have signed up had I not had that experience shortly before and I really didn’t know what to expect but it was very enjoyable and really well run: it was one of the most valuable couple of hours that I have spent” she says. “I felt comfortable in the session and learned some really useful things that make me feel more able to look after myself, even if I find myself in a situation that is more threatening than that”.

Sofia’s account of her experience at the bus stop and in the workshop has been published on the staff intranet, which has encouraged Gail to look at organising more classes.

“That’s driven it forward, people seeing the story and thinking, I probably need to do that workshop” Gail says.

If you would like more information on the self defence workshops or any other training please contact Gail Cammish UNISON ULR at gail.cammish@ nhs.net

A message from your Branch Secretary, Ali Mackenzie-Cooper Welcome to our Winter edition of the Branch’s newsletter and welcome to both new and existing members of Health and Social Care Information Centre Branch.

It is my aim that we produce at least four newsletters a year to make sure you are fully informed on what the Branch is involved in. As a member you are always welcome to be involved in branch activity (in fact we welcome and encourage it!).

One way you can get involved is to attend one of the many free training courses available to you.

We meet members every week who are suffering from mental health issues, which is impacting on their ability to do their job.

The Branch works tirelessly to support members who are experiencing mental health issues including work related stress.

Gail Cammish, our Education Officers, has written an article on the benefits of Mindfullness and I hope that you will sign up to one of the free training courses

that Gail has organised as part of January’s Wellbeing month.

UNISON has also released it’s Education Programme for 2018, details of which can be found at www.unison-yorks.org.uk/ education. If you are interested in attending any of these courses please contact Gail Cammish.

In mid November I attended the LGBT Conference with Tina Davies-Taylor. You can read Tina’s full report on Conference on the next page.

I started my UNISON journey through the LGBT forum 15 to 20 years ago. I have been to some fantastic places and supported some international groups in raising awareness of LGBT issues and impacts.

We (UNISON) also have some other equalities groups which members are welcome to attend and participate in. We’re looking for members across all these groups and would also like to work with the various staff networks and their allies. As well

One way you can get involved is to attend one of the many free training courses available to you. as the link Tina has shared www. unison.org.uk/about/whatwe-do/fairness-equality/ gives much more information on the work UNISON does across all the equality strands. Please get in touch if you are interested.

Also folks next years conference will be held in Harrogate, so as one of the local employers I’d love our branch to have a bigger presence at the conference.

I hope you enjoy reading our newsletter. If you have a story that you would like to be included in a future edition please forward it to info@unison-hscic.org.uk Ali Mackenzie-Cooper Branch Secretary HSCIC Branch UNISON

Mindfulness Introduction Day: Continued from page 2 lifetime; be more patient and develop better relationships; reduce anxious and negative patterns of thinking. Decreased pain and an increased sense of well-being are two of the many gifts that may be experienced as a result of practicing Mindfulness methods.

How to develop an informal and formal Mindfulness practice. You will learn several different mindfulness meditation techniques and

there will be plenty of time for discussion and questions.

Your Mindfulness Teacher Trish Nugent BSc. MSc. Qui Wellbeing

Trish was introduced to Meditation over twenty years ago in South East Asia and completed one of the first MBSR courses developed

by Jon Kabat Zinn. She has recently qualified as a Mindfulness Teacher with the Mindfulness

Association.

Trish incorporates Mindfulness methods into her daily life, her therapies and her facilitation with corporate and health care clients.

Spaces are limited to just 16 participants per day. If you would like to enrol on the workshop or would like further information please contact Gail Cammish on gail.cammish@nhs.net

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UNISON LGBT Conference 2017

Members experiencing financial and emotional difficulties can contact our welfare charity, There for You, which provides a confidential advice and support service for members and their dependants.

These are some of the things we can help you with when the going gets tough: • Financial assistance • Well-being breaks • Confidential support and advice • Branch Welfare Officers

Your Branch Officers and Stewards

Email: thereforyou@unison.co.uk Telephone: 020 7121 5620 Free debt advice at: Debtline 0800 389 3302 24 hours a day 7 days a week

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I attended UNISON’s LGBT Conference, at the Brighton Centre, Brighton on the weekend of the 17th to 19th November 2017.

The last time I attended such an event was many years ago (20!!), when UNISON had just changed to a Lesbian Gay & Bisexual Self Organising Group (SOG), for many years it was L&G only.

Many things have changed, whilst legislation and advances have happened, there is still a lot left to do to ensure that the LGBT community, our rights and our employment is equal, also that workplace issues are tackled and people are supported.

UNISON fights discrimination and prejudice in the workplace on behalf of its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) members. They work together in local and national groups of LGBT members to campaign and provide support for their members. For more info go here www.unison.org.uk/about/whatwe-do/fairness-equality/lgbt/ The themes of the weekend

UNISON HSCIC office.admin@unison-hscic.org.uk Ali Mackenzie-Cooper secretary@unison-hscic.org.uk Andrew Hall chair@unison-hscic.org.uk Penny Parker treasurer@unison-hscic.org.uk Gail Cammish education@unison-hscic.org.uk Paula Sherman h&s@unison-hscic.org.uk Melnisha Davids womens@unison-hscic.org.uk Rob Willis membership@unison-hscic.org.uk

were around trans issues, gender recognition act, international issues, pensions, mental health, prisoners treatment specifically when transgender, visibility, parity of issues across groups with protected characteristics and domestic violence.

The conference is made up of members of UNISON across the country who gather from a branch, regional and national level. There is a National LGBT committee and the conference decides the work that the committee does.

If you’d like to get involved in fighting for LGBT workers’ rights, but you’re not yet a UNISON member, find out more about the benefits of joining.

Tina Davies-Taylor

Testimonial “I felt UNISON were a god send for me. I had some issues at work which had escalated to the point where I had begun to feel helpless and it was affecting my health and wellbeing. Sarah and Adam from UNISON listened and understood my situation. They helped me to find a way for my voice to be heard and understood, often supporting me during meetings with more senior members of staff. I found them professional and empathetic and I was extremely grateful to have their support during a difficult period for me.”

UNISON member, Trevelayn Square, Leeds