Unite members are set to stage a protest outside Number 10 North in Manchester tomorrow (Friday August 21).
The demonstration will take place at Heron House on Lloyd Street from 12pm to 1pm.
It will highlight what the union describes as ‘workforce waste’ within the NHS, with a particular focus on the lack of employment opportunities for newly qualified mental health professionals.
It comes amid warnings that 77 newly trained clinical psychologists in the North West could face unemployment or be forced into private practice next month, despite the NHS investing £19.25 million in their training over three years.
Unite is calling for emergency funding to create NHS roles for these professionals and to ensure future cohorts have clear, funded employment pathways within the health service.
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, said: “We are seeing the same crisis in the NHS year after year.
“Highly trained, essential workers who plan to dedicate their careers to caring for others are unable to find jobs or leave the NHS as posts don’t exist.
“This situation is a disgrace.
“The NHS must invest in careers, not unemployment.
“We will not allow our clinical psychologist members to be dumped on the scrapheap due to a crisis not of their making and they have our full support in their fight to secure work.”
Despite a shortage of clinical psychologists in the region, funding and workforce planning gaps mean newly qualified staff are unable to take up NHS roles, undermining plans to expand mental health services.
The wider impact is being felt across the NHS, with similar issues affecting nursing, physiotherapy, and social work, according to the union.
Unite argues that failure to convert training investment into permanent posts is contributing to long waiting lists, overworked staff, and increased reliance on costly temporary workers.
John Mulligan, a clinical psychologist and Unite representative, said: “The crisis facing newly qualified clinical psychologists in the North West is part of a much bigger national problem about the future of NHS careers.
“Short-term austerity and so-called efficiency savings are wasting public investment and further eroding already desperately under-resourced services.”
Mr Mulligan added: “We need sensible long-term workforce planning, permanent NHS careers and safe, effective staff-to-patient ratios in every NHS service.
“That’s better for patients, current staff, the next generation of NHS workers and the long-term use of public money.
“Planned improvements to the NHS cannot happen unless Unite’s demands are met.”
Unite has also launched a petition calling for action, which is available on their website.