Reinstate Karen Reissmann!

Sacking of UNISON activist diverts from chronic Trust failure

Karen was finally dismissed on November 5 after a protracted six day disciplinary hearing, on a trumped up charge of bringing the Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust into disrepute.

Karen, who is chair of UNISON's Manchester Community & Mental Health Branch, was suspended 4 months ago, and her colleagues believe she is being victimised for her trade union activity. 700 UNISON members in mental heath have already taken 11 days strike action in her defence.

UNISON had already decided that if the decision went this way 160 members working in community mental health teams and crisis resolution services would begin all-out strike action from Thursday November 8, demanding her reinstatement.

Karen, a community psychiatric nurse, based at North Manchester General Hospital, was suspended in June after she was quoted in a Manchester-based magazine called Enterprising, criticising the government policy of transferring some health services to the voluntary sector.

The Trust's decision to press ahead with the sacking amounts to a frontal challenge to trade union organization and the right of trade unionists to speak out against the government's policies of privatization and fragmenting the NHS.

The victimisation of a leading and outspoken union member also serves to divert attention from those who have genuinely brought the Trust into disrepute: the managers themselves through years of incompetence that have reduced the Trust to 173rd out of a league table of 175 mental health Trusts.

Beds have been axed, resulting in bed occupancy rates currently standing at over 120%. Meanwhile the Trust is paying out four times the normal NHS rate to lease beds in the PFI-funded Wythenshawe hospital.

Changes in community and mental health teams, implemented despite warnings from staff and trade unions that they would not work, have left patients without vital key workers and held up the establishment of crisis response teams.

Respite services and an elderly care ward have been closed as the Trust struggles with a chronic financial crisis, with another £5m cuts this year, while its record on human resources management has been a disaster.

Supporting UNISON's continuing campaign to reinstate Karen Reissmann, Dr John Lister of Health Emergency said: "This Trust management has brought itself and its services into disrepute after years of cuts, policy blunders, under-resourcing and downright incompetence.

"Karen Reissmann has stood up for patients and for quality mental health care, while these managers have shown little concern for either.

"It is vital that the pressure is stepped up to secure Karen's reinstatement: what patients and staff in Manchester need to restore confidence in mental health care is a regime change at the top of the Trust."

The branch will need funds to support the ongoing strike action: rush donations payable to Manchester Community and Mental Health UNISON to the union office, Manchester Community and Mental Health UNISON, Chorlton House, 70 Manchester Road, Manchester M21 9UN.

Invite a speaker to your next meeting: contact the Branch on 07972 120451