ZUNO e- newsletter / Monthly Issue # 03 October 2015

Also in this issue

ZUNO partakes in Republican Constitution making process

Budget to Health sector reduces by 1.3%

RCN helps embed safer surgery practice

Call to renew practicing licenses and keep tab of the CPD logs

The Zambian government has

expressed determination to iron out

imperfections in the appraisal system

within the public service especially in the

health sector.

The move comes after ZUNO called on

the government to improve the current

appraisal system to ensure that the

intergraded salary scales and notching

system work best.

The already implemented notching

system favours performance linked pay

instead of the automated awarding of

salary increment. The system is meant

to improve productivity which has been

observed to be low among government

employees. Improving the system would

also give room for correct assessment of

performance and develop targets that

will call for objectivity in measuring

performance.

Public Service Management Division

Permanent Secretary, Dr Velepi Mtonga,

noted the importance of health services

and delivery in the country, saying

motivating performance of health

workers would result in delivery of the

right health services to the people.

And the Zambia Union of Nurses

Organisation (ZUNO) and the

Government of the Republic of Zambia

(GRZ) signed the 2016 collective

agreement for improved salaries and

conditions of service for Nurses and

Midwives in the public service ranging

from 10.4% to about 30.4%. The salary

increments have been set using the

principle of graded salary increment as

opposed to the across the board salary

increment, in accordance with the

guiding principles agreed upon for

implementation over the ten year

period (2012 to 2021).

The Government Negotiating Team studying

documents before signing

The increment has positive effect on allowances in the health sector as every percentage that has been gained on the basic pay is reflected in allowances such as Housing, Transport, Health Personnel Shift differential, Commuted Night Duty and, Rural and Remote hardship Allowances. The Agreement also brings on board the introduction of the Compulsory Group Funeral Insurance Scheme aimed at improving employees’ welfare.

The scheme is 1% of the monthly basic salary to be shared between the Government and the employee at the rate of 0.60 % and 0.40% respectively.

Improve appraisal system- ZUNO urges government as they sign 2016 collective agreement

ZUNO e- newsletter / Monthly Issue # 03 October 2015

ZUNO participated in providing recommendations to be

included in the Constitutional Amendment Bill, which was been presented to National Assembly on 15 October, 2015.

The activity which took place at Amaka Lodge in Lusaka on 28 October, 2015, is in line with government’s Public Engagement and Consensus Building process with relevant stakeholders. ZUNO was among the (25) Lusaka based member unions under the umbrella of the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) invited to participate in a meeting to study the Republican Constitutional Amendment Bill and provide recommendations. A similar meeting took place at hotel Edinburg for the Copperbelt based affiliate unions.

The affiliate Unions recommendations will be consolidated and subsequently submitted before the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs, Governance, Human Rights, Gender Matters and Child Affairs on the Constitutional Amendment Bill - on 4th November 2015, by the ZCTU.

The committee would be required to submit its report on the Bill to the National Assembly by November 17, 2015.

Meanwhile ZUNO has embarked on the process of reviewing the Organisation’s constitution of 2008. The Constitutional Review Adhoc Committee consisting seven (07) members met in Lusaka from 26 October through to 30 October 2015.

ZUNO President Thon Yung’ana has stressed the importance of following the due process in reviewing the constitution saying ZUNO prides itself as an organisation that is democratic and holds the views of the membership in decision making to high esteem.

Stakeholder engagement is a vital component in ZUNO’s Constitution making

process. Committee have since produced a Draft Zero ZUNO Constitution which is expected to be tabled b

The ZUNO Constitution provides guidelines on how the Organisation should be managed.

“The constitution is the supreme rule that guides the

Organisation, therefore it is important that the members own

the process.” Said Mr Yung'ana

The ZUNO president added that it is important to review

the 2008 constitution to keep the content up-to-date with

current trends in trade unionism and the nursing profession.

The Constitutional Review Adhoc Committee have since

produced a Draft Zero ZUNO Constitution which is

expected to be tabled before the National Executive

Committee and the National Council ,with copies sent to all

branches of the organisation for review.

The comments and amendment if any will then be sent to

back to the secretariat to be incorporated in the draft which

will then be presented before the Congress in Livingstone on

10th December 2015 for approval. After approval, the

document will then be sent to the Labour Commissioner for

registration, which is expected to take place within the month

of January 2016, before it comes into effect.

ZUNO partakes in Republican Constitution making process as the Organisation undertakes its own Constitutional Review

ZUNO e- newsletter / Monthly Issue # 03 October 2015

Budget to Health sector reduces by 1.3%

The Health sector in Zambia has been allocated K4.4 billion

in 2016 from a proposed national budget of K53.14 billion. This represents 8.3% of the national budget as opposed to 9.60% allocated in 2015 national budget. The 2016 budget focuses on completing the construction of health facilities, as well as recruitment, retention and training of frontline medical personnel. The Budget also makes room for redirected expenditure priorities in infrastructure development, improving the provision of drugs and medical equipment, and the establishment of the National Social Health Insurance Scheme. The 2016 National Budget was presented to the National Assembly on 9 October 2015, under the theme “Fiscal Consolidation to Safeguard Our Past Achievements and Secure a Prosperous Future for All” Key insights There will be growing anticipation for the social protection reforms which will include the establishment of the National Social Health Insurance Scheme.

Comparison of key expenditures in for the Health sector in 2015 and 2016 National Budget as presented by the Minister of Finance

There is also need to closely monitor the implementation of the 2015 National Budget as its performance will directly feed into the 2016 budget.

ZUNO Membership is open to nurses andmidwives registered with the General Nursing Council of Zambia and employed in both in the public and private sector.

Members have the opportunity of advancing their career through ZUNO membership as the Organisation creates an effective platform for networking and training with local and international partners. Other benefits include;

Collective bargaining

Continuous professional development (CPD)

Professional & legal representation and counsel

Lobbying & advocacy

Protection against discrimination and mistreatment in places of work

Social and financial support

Unity of purpose

Access to information & research activities

IMPORTANT DATES!!!

10-11 December 2015 – Second Quadrennial Conference @New Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone.

6 November 2015- National Council Meeting @Mika Lodge Jesmodine, Lusaka.

Year 2015 2016

Total Budget K46.7 billion K53.14 billion,

% of GDP 24.6 % of GDP

25.8 % of GDP

Total allocation to Health Sector

4,464.09 4,432.85

% Allocated 9.60% 8.3%

Drugs and Medical Supplies

753.52 754.00

Medical Infrastructure and Equipment

268.24 387,070.83

Discover benefits of being a ZUNO member

FOR MORE INFORMATION

The General Secretary

Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation

Stand No. 23889, Bennie Mwiinga PHIousing Scheme

(Formerly PHI)

P.O Box 50375

Lusaka Zambia

Tel: +260- 211-281 869

Fax: +260 -211-281 870

Mobile: +260 – 964 910 842

Email: zuno@zamnet.zm

ZUNO e- newsletter | Monthly Issue #03 October 2015 4

Call to renew practicing licences and keep tab of the CPD logs

ZUNO has called upon nurses and

midwives to commence the process of renewing their 2016 practising licences, with the General Nursing Council (GNC), to avoid inconvenience.

Practicing licences for the year 2015 are valid only until December 2015, and nurses and midwives have been urged to be timely and not wait until the 31st of December 2015.

For nurses and midwives in Lusaka province, currently undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD), meant to help nurses and midwives maintain their knowledge and skills related to their professional lives, their licence renewal is tied to how they have faired in their CPD. The program is being piloted in Lusaka, and will later be rolled out to other provinces of Zambia.

Each one is expected to attain a minimum of 20 points annually for re- licensure as determined by GNC.

CPD is defined as a purposeful process by which members of a profession are committed to maintaining, improving and broadening their knowledge, and competencies throughout their careers to ensure that they retain their capacity to practice safely, effectively, competently and legally within their evolving scope of practice.

Since every nurse and midwife is responsible for the maintenance of their own continuous and accurate written record of the CPD activities, they therefore should personally ensure that the records in their CPD logbooks are up-to-date and approved by their supervisor before submitting a copy to the GNC together with the current prescribed license fee.

All nurses and midwives, who fail to do so by 31st December 2015, shall be penalised inline with existing guidelines.

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Royal College of Nursing (RCN) UK consultant Professor Jane Reid visited ZUNO for the roll out training in safer surgery among theatre staff that has not yet undergone training under the program. Over 65 members of theatre teams from different speciality areas participated in the training focusing on improving communication and teamwork aimed at improving the safety of patients. The safer surgery program promotes the 5-step World Health Organisation Safe Surgery Checklist which can be adapted to suit local clinical environments and specialties. b)

a)

a) Professor Jane Reid making a

presentation

b) Workshop participants pose for a photo

ZUNO Programs Officer Rita Mutale facilitating during the training at University Teaching Hospital as

Professor Reid ( Left) looks on

QUOTE

When you’re a nurse you

know that every day you

will touch a life or a life will

touch yours. ~Author

Unknown

RCN helps embed safer surgery practice