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Health and Social care services

Quality health care is important to families, societies and the economy – because healthy workers are more productive. The PSI – which represents 8 million health care workers – believes that care must be available to people who need it, not just to those who can pay. Health care is dangerous work. These workers, and the services they provide, are worthy of everyone’s support. Read more

The impacts of austerity on health

05 April 2019
Health sector workers checking through files

Austerity is a policy used by governments to save money, either as an overall reduction in government spending as a percentage of GPD (Gross Domestic Product), or specific reductions in government spending. However it is defined, austerity causes specific losses to specific people.

PSI participates in 144th Executive Board Session of the WHO

05 April 2019
Genevieve Gencianos, PSI, speaking at the WHO Executive Board

A seven-person delegation from Public Services International (PSI) took part in the 144th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board which took place in Geneva from 24 January to 1 February. The PSI delegation intervened on five crucial items on the agenda.

United Nations adopts Two Landmark Global Compacts on Migrants and on Refugees

04 April 2019
Health workers caring for refugees

In December 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the UN Global Compact for Migration and the UN Global Compact on Refugees. The compacts were adopted after two years of intensive consultations and negotiations. PSI actively engaged in advocacy and lobbying during these processes and welcomed their adoption.

Liberia: Trade union actions on decent work for people with disabilities

04 April 2019
Daintowon Domah Paybayee, Advocate for persons with disabilities in Liberia

The Liberia Labor Congress held a joint workshop with ILO ACTRAV and the ILO Abuja office on decent work for persons with disabilities in December 2018. Since the end of the civil war in 2003, the nation has made significant progress towards decent work for all, but still has progress to make on eliminating social, economic and cultural injustice for persons with disability.

Government set to reform Kenya’s health system

04 April 2019
Sicily Kariuk, Cabinet Secretary for Health and James Wambugu, Chair of the panel of experts.

Kenya’s National Health Insurance Fund is undergoing reform, and the government has called on an independent panel of experts to assist. The objective is for the country to progress to universal health coverage. The main issue must be the building of a strong public health system, putting people over profit.

Unions, Social Inequalities and the Senegalese Health System

04 April 2019
Dr. Mbaye Kamara

From the 1980s, the Senegalese health system has evolved from a relatively modern and efficient system into a two-tiered system of privatised and commercialised healthcare delivery. Private provision has become increasingly widespread, while user fees and pharmaceutical charges finance a significant part of the public health sector.

25 Years After Apartheid: Health Inequities Persist in South Africa

04 April 2019
Young workers at the PSI People’s National Health Insurance Conference.

Although South Africa’s health system has undergone many positive changes in the last 25 years, social inequalities in health are widening across social groups and races. 50 million South Africans access the under-funded public health system while just over 8 million have access to well-resourced private care that is steeped in corruption.

PSI Releases Booklet series on Healthcare Workers in South Asia

14 April 2017

Non-Standard Work in the Healthcare Sector in South Asia is a series of publications aimed at disseminating information on the challenges facing the health workforce in the region, both in the public and private sector. Overall, we hope that the booklets published under the series will provide a window into the issues of interest of Public Services International, South Asia and areas of possible collaboration with existing and future allies in the struggle for Health for All with Decent Work around the world.

Manifesto of the PSI Human Right to Health Global Campaign

13 April 2017

A better Future with Public Health for All: PSI's global campaign for the Human Right to Health aims at building a mass global movement that could influence concrete policies towards attaining Universal Public Health Coverage (UPHC).

Statement from the "Public-Private Partnership and the Right to Health" seminar

28 March 2017

At the initiative of PSI and in conjunction with the National Federation of Public Service Unions of Togo, a sub-regional seminar on "Public-Private Partnership and the Right to Health" was organised from 7 to 8 February 2017 at Jesse House Hotel, in Lomé, TOGO.

Report: The Role of Public Service Trade Unions in achieving Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities

21 March 2017

PSI, with ILO/ACTRAV and ILO/GED support, held a meeting 8-9 of December 2016, on "The Role of Public Service Trade Unions in achieving Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities" in Geneva, Switzerland. The meeting built on a survey conducted by PSI and ILO of PSI affiliates’ initiatives on disability inclusion, and on ILO research giving a global overview of trade unions actions on disability inclusion.

Presentations: The Role of Public Service Trade Unions in achieving Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities

21 March 2017

These presentations were made at the PSI meeting held 8-9 December 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland with ACTRAV and GED support. The meeting builds on a survey conducted by PSI and ILO of PSI affiliates’ initiatives on disability inclusion, and on ILO research giving a global overview of trade unions actions on disability inclusion.

Health Ministerial Meeting: Joint trade union statement

13 January 2017

The Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) and the Public Services International (PSI) have prepared a joint statement prior to the OECD Health Ministerial Meeting taking place in Paris on 17 January where Ministers from over 35 OECD and partner countries will exchange their ideas, ambitions and challenges for The Next Generation of Health Reforms.

PSI briefing: The Future of Health

13 January 2017

PSI has commissioned a new briefing entitled “The Future of Health: Person Centred Care in Policy and Practice”, by Kate Baylis, SOAS, University of London.

Banners: A better future with public health for all

12 December 2016

The banners "A better future with public health for all" - size 700x430 and size 800x800 - are available for download in English, French and Spanish (jpg format).

Badges: My health is not for sale

12 December 2016

The badges "MY HEALTH IS NOT FOR SALE #PublicHealth4All" are available for download in English and Spanish (jpg format).

Posters: A better future with public health for all

12 December 2016

The posters "A better future with public health for all" are available for download in English, French and Spanish.

Posters: Int'l Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

17 November 2016

Trade unions are struggling to end violence at the workplace and in society. In all countries, we need a strong commitment from governments to address the deeply rooted causes of violence against women: inequality and discrimination. Download PSI's posters for International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Policy brief EB-148 : PSI Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Intervention Strategy

06 October 2016

This policy brief on the PSI Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Intervention Strategy was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of related work and activities. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Policy brief EB-148 : Health and Social Services

04 October 2016

This policy brief on Health and Social Services was produced for the PSI Executive Board EB-148 held at the ILO in Geneva (Switzerland) on 19-20 May 2016. Its objective is to inform EB-148 of activities in the Health and Social Services sector since the PSI Steering Committee SC-19 that took place in Geneva (Switzerland) in November 2015 and inform EB-148 of activities planned for 2016. The brief is available in English, French, Spanish, German, Swedish and Japanese.

Final report of the expert group to the High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth

21 September 2016

The United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, established the High-Level Commission on
Health Employment and Economic Growth (ComHEEG) in March 2016. Its task is to propose intersectoral
actions to guide and stimulate the creation of health and social sector jobs to advance inclusive
economic growth.
In support of the Commission’s work, an Expert Group was convened to critically review the
available evidence.

Safe Workers Save Lives: PSI Health Priorities and Trade Union Response to the Ebola Virus Disease

21 September 2016
Photo: UNMEER/Martine Perret. Creative Commons

At the start of the Ebola crisis, PSI was contacted by its affiliates from the three most affected countries with the alarming news that health workers were dying on the workfloor. This update reports on the work that has taken place on the ground since the implementation of PSI's Ebola response strategy.

PSI Health Task Force (Geneva)

10 November 2016
Photo: Direct Relief - Creative Commons

PSI is holding this meeting with major affiliates in the health and social services sector to review and renew the PSI health and social services strategy, and to collect views and develop a consensus on the actions that affiliates and PSI should pursue with regard to the major issues that we have provisionally identified for the sector.

Event: The Role of Public Service Trade Unions in achieving Decent Work for Persons with Disabilities

07 November 2016

Achieving Decent Work for All, and realising the Sustainable Development Goals, requires focussed work to include persons with disabilities. This PSI meeting, with the support of ILO Bureau for Workers’ Activities (ACTRAV) and the Gender, Equality and Diversity branch (GED), is an opportunity to develop knowledge, awareness and advocacy relevant for a range of actors in their governance, actions and aims.

First meeting of the Guideline Development Group for the WHO

10 October 2016
Community health worker - Direct Relief - Creative Commons

PSI General Secretary, Rosa Pavanelli has been invited to participate as an expert in the Guideline Development Group (GDG) for the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines on health policy and systems support for community health worker programmes. The GDG will meet in Geneva for the first time on October 10-11 2016.

Public meeting on neoliberalism and healthcare in South Asia

22 September 2016

The healthcare sector in South Asian countries has seen significant restructuring with an increase in private sector participation in provisioning. The discussion will explore the linkages between neoliberal reforms and informalisation of employment; explore the trends in employment patterns in Nepal, India and Sri Lanka; as well as look into some of the trade union responses to this growing phenomenon.

PSI/EPSU-ILO Roundtable on Labour Migration and Trade Union Rights

23 November 2015

The PSI/EPSU-ILO Roundtable on Labour Migration and Trade Union Rights is taking place in Yerevan, Armenia on 24-25 November. This meeting will be held in English, Russian and Armenian with the participation of PSI/EPSU affiliates, ILO Moscow ACTRAV and invited guests, experts and PSI staff.

PSI Asia-Pacific Regional Forum on Health and Social Services

27 January 2015

PSI Asia Pacific Region is planning a discussion forum on health and social services in Manila, Philippines from 7-10 September 2015.

International Summit Nursing and Ebola Virus

24 October 2014
International Summit Nursing and Ebola Virus

PSI will take part in the International Summit on Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), organised by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) that represents 13 million nurses worldwide.

PSI at the G20 and related events

09 October 2014

The G20 leaders meeting is taking place on 15-16 November 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. Public
Services International (PSI) has been following G20 progress this year, especially in relation to the
work the OECD is doing on behalf of the G20 to ensure that multinational corporations pay their
fair share of tax, called the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) project.

10th FIQ Congress

11 April 2014
Mark Langevin at FIQ Congress

The FIQ (Fédération Interprofessionelle de la santé du Québec) held its 10th Congress from 7 to 10th April 2014 in Quebec city. 700 delegates from all over Quebec participated.

World Health Day

07 April 2014

World health worker week

01 April 2014

World Health Worker Week (7–11 April) aims to support, appreciate and raise awareness of the important role of health workers everywhere. The Second Annual World Health Worker Week is an opportunity to mobilize communities, partners and policy makers in support of health workers. It is a time to celebrate the amazing work that they do and raise awareness of the challenges that they face every day.

The 4th International Conference on Violence in the Health Sector

04 March 2014
The 4th International Conference on Violence in the Health Sector

The 4th International Conference on Violence in the Health Sector will take place in Miami, USA, from 22-24 October 2014. The largest and most relevant mondial conference dedicated to work related aggression and violence within the health and social services sector.

Ghana: West African Health Sector Unions Network meeting

11 February 2014
participants

From 28-30 January 2014, PSI affiliates from Burkina, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone who form the West African Health Sector Unions Network (WAHSUN) met in Accra, Ghana.

Photos: World Social Forum, Tunis 2013

15 April 2013
World Social Forum - Tunisia March 2013
Source: Flickr

Public Services International had the strongest global union presence at the World Social Forum 26-30 March 2013 in Tunis, Tunisia. PSI hosted and co-sponsored numerous events on trade union rights, youth, water, women’s issues, tax justice, energy and climate change.

Preventing Hepatitis

22 November 2011

“Preventing Hepatitis” addresses the specific need to vaccinate healthcare workers against Hepatitis A & B in less than 2 minutes.

Tags: 
Health
OHS
HIV/AIDS

The Essential Sharp Sense

22 November 2011

This is a 4 minute summary of the 17 minute video SHARP SENSE produced by the global union federation Public Services International.

Tags: 
Health
OHS
HIV/AIDS

Sharp Sense: Promoting the safety of health care workers

17 November 2011

Healthcare workers face the risk every day of exposure to bloodborne pathogens because of needlestick injuries. In this short video, a nurse, an HIV/AIDS counsellor and an HIV/AIDS physician share their personal experiences with needlestick injuries.

Tags: 
Health
HIV/AIDS