Where Is The Voice Of The Trade Unions ? #BCUHB
With regard to the Robin #Holden report into Institutional Abuse at #BCUHB dated 2013, snippets of the report have appeared in the media informing of staff in tears and at the end of their tether working in the North Wales NHS mental health units. Issues of bullying are also said to be raised within the report. The Information Commissioner had ordered BCUHB to release the report but the Board have refused and are appealing the ICO's decision. The Tribunal has a date of early 2021... Local Trade Union branches in North Wales were recently approached for their thoughts and reaction to the report by the North Wales Community Health Council into Vascular services at BCUHB and in particular the worry of increased limb loss amongst patients. The use of antibiotics was also raised as a concern. That report, dated 8th October, 2019, can be found here - http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/documents/900/Exec%20Minutes%2008102019%20%28APPROVED%29.pdf
It is a PDF document that will not open a new page but will be downloaded to your pc. #Unison branches in the area were reluctant to give any response, some did not even acknowledge the question of if they were going to make a public statement on the damning report. The decision by the local union officers to make no statement regarding the treatment of staff and the patients within the health board has come as a surprise to many members, especially after the shocking revelations now being made in the local press. Now I may have expected too much from Unison as I am not a member so I approached my own union, Unite. An acknowledgment was received from the BCU branch secretary and senior workplace rep, with regard to my inquiry, excerpts of which are reproduced below - ...concerns come through the recent review of the Board's Vascular Services and in particular claims of those in fear for their careers if they speak out. Have the Trade Unions had contact with the Board and what has been the response from senior managers within the organisation - if any ? There is also the issue of the Board discharging 1700 mental health patients from their services and the LA's having to pick up the pieces - during the lockdown.
The senior workplace rep, duly responded and on the 2nd June, said that they would be discussing with the regional officers and get back to me.
By early August, there had been no further response. I then came across a discussion on Twitter involving the Holden report and tagged both local Unison and Unite accounts into the thread hoping one would join in the conversation.
Whilst Unison did not respond - Unite simply blocked me... The Unite rep did eventually get back to me via Facebook - "As you are not a member of the BCU branch and you are not an employee of BCUHB I can’t provide you with that information im afraid. If you require information you will need to address your concerns to the Regional Secretary Peter Hughes at the Cardiff Office." Any union members that have concerns regarding work practices or whistleblowing in BCUHB may be better informing the regional organisers outside of the BCUHB region. The same goes for any Unison or Unite members within the local government organisations of North Wales.
Something is very wrong within the local government organisations of North Wales.
