Social Care Providers

“The government miscalculated on all sorts of fronts”, says Sara Gorton, UNISON’s lead negotiator during the recent NHS pay dispute. She tells Matt Ross how a tide of dissatisfaction from workers and strong public support enabled union negotiators to hold their nerve and cut a pay deal that won overwhelming backing from members.

While some thrive on it, many managers hate being on call – unable to relax while waiting for the dreaded call and nervous about taking critical decisions without enough training or support. There has to be a better way, writes Rhys McKenzie.

We need to challenge the widely-held belief that all-powerful managers are blocking change in the NHS. It's a lack of empathy for the difficult choices and hard realities that managers face which is holding us back.

Dr Rosena Allin-Khan still works regular shifts at her local hospital alongside her day job as Labour MP for Tooting. Now shadow mental health minister, she tells Matt Ross about Labour’s still-sketchy plans for the NHS, the impact of frontline staff shortages and why she backs striking nurses.

Will Patricia's Hewitt's review of English ICBs hand more power to local managers or end up strengthening ministers’ grip on the NHS? Rhys McKenzie makes MiP's case for a streamlined centre and real autonomy for local healthcare systems.

The social care shake-up in Scotland will affect the lives of more than a million people and could have far-reaching repercussions for local government and the NHS. But are the reforms missing the point?

MiP has called on Patricia Hewitt's review of ICS powers to strike the right balance between local autonomy and central direction, warning that many NHS managers will be suspicious of the ideological motives behind the review.

For most NHS managers, unfair criticism is like water off a duck’s back. But the denigration and devaluing of management does real damage to the NHS. Here's how MiP plans to take on the manager-bashers and promote a positive view of the vital work managers do.

The government's response to the multiple crises facing the NHS has been negligent. But ministers will not change course unless forced to do so. That's why I'm asking MiP members to vote yes to industrial action this autumn.

The Government have announced a £1,400 pay award for NHS staff on Agenda for Change. While the award varies considerably in percentage terms, it means yet another real terms pay cut for MiP members and most other NHS staff.