UNISON BAOT Regional Structures

1. UNISON BAOT Regional Structures Best Practice Model

2. Scope of Presentation • Stewards forum membership and organisation • relationship to UNISON service group and relevant sector committees • relationship to OT Panel • relationship to BAOT Country Boards and regional structures • how will it work? • What support is available? • Joint working priorities

3. Forum membership and organisation • An OT Forum exists in every region • It has a Regional Steward job share Health/Local Authority • It has stewards from every trust and local authority! • It meets a minimum of twice a year • There is an up to date mailing list • It is serviced by a Regional Organiser • Expenses are paid by the region (or branch?)

4. UK Parliaments Departments of Health British Association of Occupational Therapists College of Occupational Therapists National Executive Committee Local Govt Service Grp Exec Health Service Group Executive BAOT Council OT Panel BAOT Board England BAOT Boards NI, Scotland, Wales Sub-committees Social Services Committee National PTA Sector Cttee BAOT Regional committees Regional committee Regional local govt committee Regional health committee OT Forum Sub- committees (Social Services committee not in all regions) Regional PTA sector Local groups Local Branch Executive BAOT stewards and members Diagram of UNISON/BAOT structural relationships 2006

5. Relationship to UNISON sectors and service groups • There is a link to Regional PTA Sector Committee (Health) • There is a seat on Regional Health Committee, either through PTA sector or BAOT independent trade union seat • Links are built with Regional Social Services Committees, where they exist. • Reports to and receives reports from relevant sector and service committees

6. Relationship with OT Panel • Representatives to OT Panel are elected (one from health, one from local Government) • Representatives report to the OT Panel from the forum and to the Forum from the OT Panel

7. Relationship to BAOT Country Boards and Regional structures • The relevant forums will elect a representative to the Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh BAOT Country Board. The representative will be a full member of the board but will not have a vote. • The forum will elect representatives to the BAOT Regional Committees • The Regional/Country Board BAOT member will be invited to attend the forum.

8. How will it work? • Findings from the OT Stewards and Local Government members surveys • Information • Support and networking • Mentoring/buddying • Influencing • Activism!

9. Support • steward recruitment and organisation – especially local gov • stewards email and ‘hotline’ baotstewards@unison.co.uk • Regular page in OT News • stewards web page on BAOT web site • Stewards directory • Useful info • national officer presence at regional forum • raising profile of unison through partnership working with BAOT – conferences, joint briefings etc • raising awareness of OT stewards/members within unison/ regional service group heads

10. Joint working priorities Local Authority BAOT Members and UNISON • Presentation of findings of members survey carried out • Whole group BAOT/UNISON structure & Role of BAOT steward • Workshop activity – barriers to recruitment • Whole group discussion & action planning Total – I hour to 1hour 15 mins

11. Joint working priorities 2 Challenge, Agenda for Change and Changing workforce • Changes to the way in which you plan and organise Occupational Therapy services • New language and terminology • Impact on working with other ahp’s • Impact on Stewards structures in Health

12. A job evaluation system that is equality proofed, common terms and conditions and a robust career development framework (ksf) enables new and extended roles. How will your service respond? Structure of session Presentation – whole group Flip chart – identify priorities – whole group Workshop – small groups – focus on I priority each Whole group discussion & action planning Total 1 hour 15 – 1 hour 30 mins