11/04/2025
Dear members,
The last few weeks have obviously been a trying and emotional time for our members, as it has been for all NHS staff, especially those under the direct employ of NHS England, across the UK. The announcement and rollout of recent measures from the Secretary of State for Health was done without any consultation (with either trade unions or trusts), and in a manner that UNISON’s General Secretary, Christina McAnea, has publicly labelled “shambolic”, with many people who will potentially be affected finding out about it from social media or the news.
As a branch, we have obviously seen a massive rise in queries from our members, in particular with regards to the announcement of “support staff” positions being reviewed. Please bear with us, as we are trying to answer these queries as they come in (alongside our usual volume of day-to-day casework), though we may not be able to respond as quickly as we would like.
You will have seen some guidance on the MARS process, sent out by our branch after the announcement. We have received some queries about the numbers noted within the guidance, so please note that the version we sent out was general national guidance on the process itself, and the numbers are not set nationally, so the trust version is applicable to our branch. Regarding the process itself, it is very difficult for us to give general answers about redeployment, job-merging, the creation of new positions, and whether opting into a MARS offer is beneficial (which it may be for some), or whether (where relevant) it is better for individual members to decline and enter the redundancy process (national guidance from the gov.uk website can be found at https://www.gov.uk/redundancy-your-rights), as all cases will be different, and subject to consultation with the trust. Please feel free to contact the branch on CUH.UNISON@NHS.NET (please do not reply to this this post, or use FB messenger) and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
We have received queries regarding supporting non-members (or those who have joined since the announcement, or where the point of joining falls outside the “4-week” rule). Unfortunately, we can only offer official representation to existing members. However, we do recommend joining, in which case the branch will offer limited guidance and help to the best of our abilities, but (as is the situation with all casework) they will not (regarding this specific case) be entitled to the level of support and legal representation that we offer to existing members. That said, at the trust negotiation level, your branch will be working hard to attain the best outcomes for all staff, members and non-members alike. In particular, ensuring that any removal of staff positions is subject to a thorough impact assessment, and that there are no pie-in-the-sky expectations from the trust regarding whether the roles of particular jobs can be absorbed by the remaining (already over-stretched) workforce.
In short, though the coming weeks and months are going to be difficult, we will continue to engage with the trust and push for the best outcomes possible. We will keep you updated of any further developments, and will be arranging workplace meetings, to which you are all invited to discuss your concerns.
Yours in solidarity,
Dave Kennington - Branch Chair
Ben Matenga - Branch Secretary
UNISON - Cambridge University and Royal Papworth Hospitals Branch
