By: Barbara Goulden IF you are a trade unionist working in the NHS then surely your responsibilities extend to speaking out in the interests of the wider public, not simply on the pay and conditions of union members. This is the core belief that kept sacked mental health nurse Karen Reissmann strong during her 17-month battle to win back her job. Last week (Jan 28) her claim to a Manchester industrial tribunal of unfair dismissal was suddenly stopped and settled out of court. This shocked some ...

  THERE’S A NEW GIRL IN TOWN Friday 28th November the Trust gave a press release giving information on the appointment of the new Chief Executive Jackie Daniel.  A qualified nurse, with 27 years experience in the NHS, Jackie has recently led change programmes in Coventry and Warwickshire focused on the implementation of new service models, financial and service improvement and strengthening partnership working. She was also previously Chief Executive at the Robert Jones and Agnes Hun...

Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds   Below was given  in Written answers in The House of Commons on Thursday 20th November 2008, the amount for Mental Health Trust’s belonging to the NHS to give dignity to its patients seems an amount of monies to be a sum which needs every MP and especially our Manchester MP’s to question Ann Keen’s Department figures, we certainly question the amount given in the House to be not credible given the number of patients involved. Norman...

Poles Apart Coffee Morning COFFEE MORNING    A Group Supporting People with Bi-Polar Disorder:   ·       The home made walnut cakes and Nurse Val’s carrot cake brought those on diets to their knees, temptation was the clear winner and the economic pounds piled on making the compound efforts of all involved in the fundraising day a complete success and bringing the grand total raised on the day to £325:00 . Well done Poles Apart, we are all looking forward to your next ...

The Chief Executive of Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust At a meeting today (Tuesday 19th August) with new CEO Ms Jackie Daniel, representatives of Manchester Users Network as instructed by their membership directly called upon new CEO Jackie Daniel to reinstate the sacked nurse and put an end to the sheer folly. After the meeting, some of the members who wished to remain anonymous said they felt that the new CEO Jackie Daniel demonstrated a large capacity to listen and appeared to...