UNISON has announced the launch of a new campaign this autumn. The ‘Only Enough is Enough’ campaign aims to hold hospitals to account for what the union calls unsafe staffing levels at many Trusts, as a result of having too few employees.
It will highlight hospitals that are failing to provide sufficient numbers of staff with the time they need to deliver quality patient care. UNISON wants Trusts to work in partnership with NHS workers to solve their staffing problems. The campaign will initially have six pilot areas - Birmingham, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cornwall, Liverpool and South Wales.
Nurses, midwives and other NHS employees will be asked to complete a staffing survey after every shift to log any shortages and any problems this has caused. Union branches will then be able to use the data to not only hold local hospitals to account, but also push for new measures to recruit and retain staff.
UNISON National Officer for Nursing Stuart Tuckwood says: “The union's campaign aims to shine a light on problem areas and give local healthcare workers the tools they need to secure proper staffing levels.”
