Off the back of the success of the inaugural event in 2023, the decision to organise a second Rep Summit was a no-brainer for the society. Held at Friends House in London – a short walk from King’s Cross station – the second annual event saw an audience of more than 100 SoR trade union representatives gather to hear vital workforce updates from the society and learn from each other’s experiences.

The varied itinerary served to address the needs of established reps – who have been in the role for several years – as well as those of newer reps who are finding their feet in the role.

Sessions took place across two breakout rooms and the venue’s main hall. The day started with a keynote speech from Rubi Gubara-Sannie, the society’s equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) consultant. Rubi gave an overview of what the society is doing internally and externally to promote EDI and outlined how it is being improved upon for members and employees. “It was a real call to action,” says Leandre Archer, head of industrial relations at the SoR. “It was about reflecting on our own behaviours and challenging our own beliefs.

“I think that was a great way to start off the Rep Summit, because it is about dealing with these issues as a rep. You do have to challenge your own beliefs and behaviours sometimes and always remain professional. That was a great starter.”

Issues affecting reps

The first session of the day was delivered by Ranjit O’Mahony from Morrish Solicitors, who gave an update on employment law. With the Labour government coming into power in July, attendees were advised on a host of pro-union legislation coming down the line.

Specifically for the SoR, the change in minimum service levels for industrial action is a main concern. The Conservative government had passed the law to mandate minimum numbers of staff when staff in healthcare – alongside other sectors such as education, transport and border security – take strike action. The law was repealed in September 2024.

Attendees also had the opportunity to ask about different cases they were dealing with in regards to employment law. Ranjit outlined a range of legislation that reps must be aware of, such as safety against sexual harassment, flexible working, unfair dismissal and ‘day-one rights’ (protections given to workers from the moment they start employment). 

While the employment law session made crucial listening for reps, one of the summit’s most poignant sessions was regarding the reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) campaign, delivered by TUC tutor Steve White.

As a trade union the SoR has signed up to the RAAC campaign, an initiative that works to address the issues that can be caused by RAAC. RAAC was commonly used in constructing hospitals, schools and council houses from the mid-1950s to the early 1990s. In his presentation, Steve told the Rep Summit that the government has identified 54 hospitals that have RAAC, with four hospitals having removed it so far.

He encouraged reps to get involved in the fight against asbestos and RAAC to set a standard for members. “This is about organising,” he said. “And because we never get anywhere with this stuff if we’re going to meetings with our employers, if we’re not actually representing our members.

“This is about talking to our members in branch meetings and other meetings and saying: ‘These are real risks. These are people who are still dying of asbestos because they’re still working in buildings like we work in… Making these issues important to your workers.’”

Leandre says the session affirmed that “RAAC is the new asbestos scandal”.

“Most of our members are working every day in hospitals that may have asbestos and RAAC issues,” she continues. “It’s going to take an awful lot of money and an awful lot of work to put these buildings right.”

HCPC referrals

After lunch – which offered attendees the chance to network and connect with each other – a session was held on HCPC referrals by Peter Higgs, SOR’s South West regional officer, and Richard Pembridge, regional officer for the Midlands.

Reps were taken through how they can support members who are facing an HCPC referral, using real-life examples of cases that had recently concluded. Sue Webb, trustee of the College of Radiographers, says the talk generated an interesting debate. “One talk that seemed to strike a chord with everyone was the HCPC talk, and it created a good debate. It also led to further information coming from the SoR for members about when they give contrast media for some tests and the importance of protocols and adhering to PGDs, and to consider whether they are working within their scope of practice.”

Lydia Johnson, a society health and safety rep, senior radiographer and radiology clinical tutor, says this was one of the main messages she came away with after attending the summit. “Ensure staff are covered with the SoR (or a similar trade union) when signing indemnity insurance covered when HCPC registering. I checked with many of our new starters – many didnt have any,” she tells Synergy, adding: “Always work within your scope of practice!”

But attendees weren’t just informed about the HCPC process. They also received a stark warning on following patient group directions (PGDs), and were encouraged to be mindful about following the standards of performance ethics.

Michael Fell, an IR rep, says the session on HCPC referrals was “very interesting and informative” and came away with a stronger understanding of PGDs. “It provided a warning for any radiographer to follow SOPs [standard operating practice] or PGDs and to make sure these are updated.”

Opportunities to connect

Other highlights included the personal injury case update, understanding the Working Time Directive and the two scheduled sessions to meet regional and national officers – the latter of which were “very, very busy”, according to Leandre.

“We had about 70 reps in the first session,” she explains. “They talked about the recruitment of members, about dealing with the support workforce and how to get them recruited into membership. The officers introduced themselves and they answered any questions about any issues that the reps were having.”

With purposefully scheduled opportunities to connect, the Rep Summit allowed attendees to interact face to face with their fellow officers. But what did the reps take away from the day?

Leandre hopes reps realise that they are the “backbone” of the society. “I want them to feel empowered, I want them to feel like they have gained knowledge from these days, and I want them to feel like they’ve connected – even if it’s just one other rep in a hospital, or they’ve had a networking opportunity. I think that’s really important.”

Sue says the topics discussed at the summit reinvigorated her to discuss these with her colleagues in her own workplace. “Reps realise that everyone has similar problems in their departments and that the SoR team are there for support and advice,” she explains. “The day enabled me to return to my department and highlight current issues to my colleagues; this encouraged discussion about the importance of being an SoR member.”

For Caitlin Atkinson, IR rep and Diagnostic Radiographer at NHS Lothian, and Ifeanyi Obike, a rep for the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, the summit’s topics were highly relevant to what reps must keep in mind day to day. “The Rep Summit meeting was very informative and a great opportunity to meet fellow reps and national officers,” Caitlin tells Synergy. “The brave and authentic leaders’ talk was very inspiring and the HCPC referrals talk was eye opening.”

Ifeanyi adds: “Rep Summit events are important as they provide a platform for networking, sharing best practices and discussing critical issues such as employment law updates and diversity and inclusion within various organisations.”

With a schedule full of relevant topics and an eager group of reps willing to learn, it’s clear that the Rep Summit has firmly earned its place in the society’s busy calendar.

More about 

The Rep Summit is an annual society event that invites reps across the UK to learn, collaborate and network in-person. The first Rep Summit took place in 2023 at Friends House, London.

To find out more about the SoR’s role as a trade union, click here

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