NHS Noticeboard
GMB continues to have concerns about the safety of our members in the workplace, specifically regarding PPE. We continue to hear reports of PPE that is low in quality and protection. GMB has consistently called on Government to review Public Health England guidance and increase the level of protection available to our members working in health and social care.
This issue is a priority more than ever now as we see the effects of a new strain of the virus with higher transmission rates. The Government have a responsibility to do everything in their power now to protect workers.
GMB has contacted Government again calling on them to increase PPE guidance to level 3 for all health and social care workers who need it.
Read a copy of our press statement and the letter.
New operational guidance has now been issued regarding the vaccination of frontline health and social care workers. This provides for an immediate requirement to vaccinate frontline health and social care workers.
NHS Trusts (including acute, mental health, community and ambulance trusts) have now been instructed to establish ‘hospital hubs’ by mid-January with responsibility for the vaccination of individuals. It outlines that priority is to be given to frontline staff at ‘high risk of acquiring infection, at high individual risk of developing serious disease, or at risk of transmitting infection to multiple vulnerable persons or other staff in a healthcare environment. This includes but is not limited to:
GMB supports the vaccination programme and the prioritisation of vaccination of all health and social care staff. However, we understand there may be reasons why an individual cannot be vaccinated. Individuals should discuss any issues or concerns they have with their line manager and contact your local GMB Representative for support if required.
The Government have published detailed information regarding the vaccine for healthcare workers which we would advise our members to read. It can be accessed at:
COVID-19 vaccination: guide for healthcare workers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Guidance has also been issued for women of childbearing age, pregnant or breastfeeding. It can be accessed at:
GMB’s priority remains in keeping our members safe at work which is why throughout the Pandemic we have been regularly updating our Coronavirus Hub with all the information you need to keep yourself safe.
Get it right! - GMB Coronavirus Hub.
You can also access NHS & Ambulance Service specific advice at: NHS and COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions
If you have concerns that you may have contracted Covid-19 in the workplace, please record your details on the GMB Risk Register at: COVID-19 Risk Register
It is essential that your membership details are up to date so that we can ensure you are kept up to date with advice and guidance relevant to you.
You can update your details by contacting your local GMB Representative or online using the GMB website at gmb.org.uk/mygmb-edit
It will be many months before we see a return to any form of ‘normality’. Covid-19 will still present a danger to health care workers and the people you care for. As a result, it means that your GMB Union Representatives may continue to have difficulties visiting you in your workplaces.
However, we want you to know that we are still here. We are considering a variety of ways that we can get information to you and engage with you on your issues in the workplace. One way to do this is to arrange a virtual online meeting for your workplace.
If you would like to book one of these meetings please contact your local GMB representative or email NHS@gmb.org.uk
Date: 12/01/2021
GMB have written to Matt Hancock raising our members' concerns around the current guidance for PPE in Health & Social Care settings.
Our suggestions included:
"...specifying higher performance face coverings and masks, this should particularly be considered in settings where people are more vulnerable to the consequences of the disease and/or are more likely to be infectious.""...engineering, procedural and personal controls... [to be] applied rigorously to ensure they are effective."
"Organisations and individuals should reassess their environments in the light of new evidence about transmissibility of the new variant to consider whether they have maximised all the steps they can take to reduce the probability of transmission."
The full letter is available to read here, we will update the noticeboard in the event we recieve a response.
Date: 06/01/2021
Advice has now been issued to all NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts, Primary Care Networks and GPs regarding the Covid-19 vaccination programme which states that all frontline health and social care staff should be prioritised for vaccination. NHS Trusts HRDs and local vaccination services are responsible for overseeing the vaccination of NHS staff - frontline staff to be prioritised.
12 weeks is the maximum length of time that should be between the first and second dose and both doses must be from the same vaccine type.
NHS England have a dedicated webpage where you can access all the latest information on the vaccine programme - Coronavirus » COVID-19 vaccination programme (england.nhs.uk)
Statistics regarding the numbers of vaccinations will also be regularly updated at - Statistics » COVID-19 Vaccinations (england.nhs.uk)
The GMB NHS & Ambulance Service Covid-19 Frequently Asked Questions has now been updated. It collates all of the Covid-19 information and guidance specific to NHS and Ambulance members in one place. Please check regularly for updates and share it with your colleagues.
NHS and COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions | GMB
Employers must carry out a risk assessment, looking specifically at risks of exposure to Covid-19. All steps must be taken to reduce the risk of employees catching the virus to as low as possible. Risk assessments must be carried out by a ‘competent’ person – someone who knows and understands both the workplace and the work. In GMB recognised workplaces, we expect Safety Reps to be consulted on any risk assessment carried out.
Once the risk assessment is performed and the necessary measures are in place, it is critical that the standards are upheld, and the risk assessment regularly reviewed to ensure it is still accurate. During the current Covid pandemic, the situation is changing regularly and dramatically, and three months is too long between inspections and meetings. GMB firmly believes that inspections should be much more frequent, and specific to consider primarily Covid issues.
For most workplaces, a weekly inspection and committee meeting should be implemented, to ensure that any issues identified can be urgently addressed. In some workplace where either the Covid risk is high, or workers are grouped into many cohorts (small teams), it may be better to organise daily floor walks, so that cohorts do not have to mix. Whichever method is adopted, the most important consideration is that issues can be quickly identified and addressed, and the information can be quickly shared with the workforce.
GMB expects employers to be updating risk assessments in consideration of the new variants of the virus. Please speak to your local GMB Rep if you have concerns about risk assessments in your workplace.
GMB continues to have concerns regarding PPE for healthcare workers. Government have informed us that there are sufficient supplies of PPE to see us through winter and the Pandemic. However, this is based on the current Public Health England (PHE) guidance which GMB still does not agree offers sufficient protection. GMB contacted PHE and the Department of Health & Social Care again with our concerns on 14th December 2020. We will continue to campaign for the highest possible level of protection for our members.
GMB’s priority remains in keeping our members safe at work which is why throughout the Pandemic we have been regularly updating our Coronavirus Hub with all the information you need to keep yourself safe. You can check it out at: Get It Right | The Coronavirus Hub
You can also access NHS & Ambulance Service specific advice at: NHS and COVID-19: Frequently Asked Questions
If you have concerns that you may have contracted Covid-19 in the workplace, please record your details on the GMB COVID-19 Risk Register
It is essential that your membership details are up to date so that we can ensure you are kept up to date with advice and guidance relevant to you.
You can update your details by contacting your local GMB Representative or online using the GMB website at gmb.org.uk/mygmb-edit
It will be many months before we see a return to any form of ‘normality’. Covid-19 will still present a danger to health care workers and the people you care for. As a result, it means that your GMB Union Representatives may continue to have difficulties visiting you in your workplaces.
However, we want you to know that we are still here. We are considering a variety of ways that we can get information to you and engage with you on your issues in the workplace. One way to do this is to arrange a virtual online meeting for your workplace.
If you would like to book one of these meetings please contact your local GMB representative or email NHS@gmb.org.uk
Not a GMB Member? Join the union for NHS staff today
More information about being a GMB Representative in your workplace?
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Follow us on Twitter - @GMBNHS
Date: 21/12/2020
As the year comes to an end, GMB Union wants to thank all of our NHS & Ambulance Service members for their hard work and efforts during the year, keeping us safe and cared for, and for their continued membership with GMB.
This year has been extremely difficult for everyone, but especially for all those who continued to work throughout the Coronavirus Pandemic (Covid-19) providing essential services within our NHS. We have had to collectively fight from the start of Covid-19 to ensure our members were protected – physically, mentally and financially.
We have made many representations to Ministers and the Department of Health & Social Care, ensuring they knew the reality of what our members were facing on the frontline. GMB has also participated in regular meetings with Department of Health Representatives, NHS Employers and other health unions from the start of Covid-19, ensuring GMB members voices have a platform to be heard.
We have had some successes throughout the year which include:
It is without doubt that healthcare workers have been consistently failed throughout Covid-19 and that is why GMB will not stop calling for an independent inquiry into the Government’s handling of the Pandemic. Unfortunately, that inquiry will come too late for the hundreds of health and social care workers who have lost their lives.
GMB’s priority remains in keeping our members safe at work which is why throughout the Pandemic we have been regularly updating our Coronavirus Hub with all the information you need to keep yourself safe.
You can check it out at:
If you have concerns that you may have contracted Covid-19 in the workplace, please record your details on the GMB Risk Register:
A mental health crisis is looming within the NHS. This comes after years of cuts to services and the inability of the service to recruit and retain staff, which led to a 100,000+ vacancy crisis prior to Covid-19. Almost a year of fighting Covid-19, with little or no time to rest and recover before we headed into the second wave and winter has left many NHS staff unable to cope. If you are struggling, please speak out - we've put some resources together for people seeking help:
It is with great relief that some of our elderly population have now been vaccinated. It will take many months for people in the prioritised categories to be vaccinated but we hope to see the vaccination programme roll out speedily and efficiently over the coming months.
Health and social care workers have been identified as a priority group of workers to be vaccinated and we have already started to see NHS staff be vaccinated, although the vast majority will not have access until the New Year.
GMB supports the Covid-19 vaccination programme and would encourage our members to have both the Flu and Covid-19 vaccination. However, this is not mandatory, and we understand that some of our members are not able to be vaccinated e.g. for health reasons; pregnancy; etc. We therefore would expect that no member suffers a financial detriment as a result of not being vaccinated. If you have any concerns regarding this, please speak with your local GMB Representative.
The campaign for pay justice continues. GMB’s pay claim to Government is:
Government have now published their much-delayed remit to the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) asking them to make a recommendation on your pay. However, GMB is disappointed with the Government’s misleading use of statistics in the remit letter and potential restrictions placed upon the PRB.
GMB will be submitting evidence into the PRB using the data from the three all member consultation surveys we have carried out this year.
Some of the results from the most recent survey showed that:
Check out our dedicated campaign website where you can see exactly how much money you have lost in your pay packets since 2010. You can also download and share campaign resources, order campaign merchandise and sign our petition at: We're campaigning for pay justice in our NHS | GMB
It is essential that your membership details are up to date so that we can ensure you are kept up to date with developments in the pay campaign and receive a ballot paper when they are issued.
You can update your details by contacting your local GMB Representative or online.
It will be many months before we see a return to any form of ‘normality’. Covid-19 will still present a danger to health care workers and the people you care for. As a result, it means that your GMB Union Representatives may continue to have difficulties visiting you in your workplaces. However, we want you to know that we are still here. We are considering a variety of ways that we can get information to you and engage with you on your issues in the workplace. One way to do this is to arrange a virtual online meeting for your workplace. If you would like to book one of these in please contact your local GMB representative or email NHS@gmb.org.uk
Have you ever been interested in the role of GMB Representative in your workplace but unsure whether you have the skills or can commit the time? Why not join one of our NHS Rep Taster Sessions? If you’re interested, email NHS@gmb.org.uk and we will be in touch with more details.
Lee Mead is best known for winning the title role in the 2007 West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat through the BBCs show ‘Any Dream Will Do’. He is also known for starring in Casualty and Holby City.
As a thank you to GMB key workers he is giving away 1000 tickets to his 2021 tour in England and Wales. You can enter the ballot to win two tickets at: https://bit.ly/3oUK0zj
The Pandemic is far from over as we continue through the second wave of Covid-19 and face the winter pressures. GMB will continue to be by your side throughout.
We hope that you get some time over the Christmas holidays to rest and spend time with your families and loved ones. We wish you and your families a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
GMB Union NHS Workers on Facebook - Twitter: @GMBNHS
Date: 14/12/2020
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer for NHS and Social Care, has written to:
The Department of Health & Social Care
On behalf of our members in the NHS and Social Care, we are challenging the following areas where the national guidance is inadequate or innacurate:
We will update members in the event we recieve a response or that the guidance is clarified.
Date: 09/12/2020
GMB, the Union for NHS Staff, continues to campaign for Pay Justice for all NHS Staff. After a decade of austerity, keyworkers in the NHS have lost out financially and warm words and claps will no longer suffice. Check to see how much money you have lost in real terms here:
GMB has launched a petition to call on the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock, to do the right thing and give NHS workers the pay they deserve. Please sign and share:
Thank you to everyone who took time to complete the third all member GMB survey. There was an overwhelming response and the data will now be collated and used as a part of GMB’s submission into the Pay Review Body.
Thank you also to all those members who expressed an interest in being a GMB Representative and attended one of our Workplace Representative Taster Sessions. If you would like more infromation on getting ivolved in this campaign or being a GMB representative in your workplace, please speak to your local GMB representative or email NHS@gmb.org.uk
GMB continues to work with other health trade unions to lobby government for an ‘early and significant pay increase’ in the form of a fully funded one year deal. We have not received a response from government to our request for them to meet us to negotate this year’s pay increase.
We have now heard NHS workers will be exempt from governments proposals to freeze public sector pay and that a remit will be given to the Pay Review Body to make a recommendation on pay. We still await for the formal remit letter to be issued.
Health unions are continuing to work towards a provisional timeline of 18th January 2021 for written submissions to be made to the PRB and the joint union submission is currently being finalised.
Date: 25/09/2020
Date: 11/08/2020
Politicians work for you. They want to hear from you about what is important to you. They have a duty to listen and respond.
The easiest way to let them know what you think about NHS pay is to write to them. A physical letter is best as it has the most impact, but an email works too. The most impact comes from you writing in your own words about why you deserve a substantial pay increase as an NHS worker.
Below is a list of points you may wish to consider when drafting your letter or email:
You can find the relevant contact details at:
England - members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
Scotland - beta.parliament.scot/msps/current-and-previous-msps
Wales - business.senedd.wales/mgFindMember.aspx
Northern Ireland - aims.niassembly.gov.uk/mlas/search.aspx
