Thursday 10th January: Executive message from Kate Vaughton, Deputy Chief Executive Officer

Yesterday, we saw ambulance service colleagues around the country taking further industrial action. Although no strikes took place within our region, it continues to be an unsettling time and I know that many of you feel very strongly about the issues involved. Please do not hesitate to take advantage of the welfare support available if you wish.

It’s always difficult to predict what impact this type of industrial action will have on the service we provide to our patients, so thank you to everyone involved in the planning and preparation to ensure we were able to continue caring for our patients safely. The past few weeks have not been easy, but we have now stepped down from being at business-continuity level incident, and that is thanks to all of you who have continued to deliver the very best service possible under extremely challenging circumstances.

I think it is fair to say that the whole country knows and understands that the healthcare system remains under extreme pressure, but as an executive team we are committed to doing everything we can to alleviate this for you. Progress is happening- sometimes slowly - but changes are taking place and I believe we are heading in the right direction. Please keep doing what you’re doing and know that we are working to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to support the amazing work you do.

Ofsted and Medipro report
Yesterday, Ofsted published their report into an inspection of Medipro our education provider back in November. Disappointingly, they have been given an inadequate rating after inspectors found that some learners who were passed planned end date (PPED) had not had the experience and support that should have been expected. Many of these were EEAST learners who were in the group which had transferred to Medipro in October 2021, and I would like to reiterate how sorry we are that they have been affected.

Going forward, areas for improvement have been stipulated and we are committed to working with Medipro to successfully support all our apprentices through their qualification. It is important to reiterate that apprenticeships will continue and current learners will suffer no disruption. You can find more detail about the report here along with a series of FAQs and we will be arranging a Teams Live event in the coming weeks to go through further details and answer questions.

Paperless payslips from April
As part of our Fit For the Future People Services Transformation Programme we are moving to paperless electronic payslips from the beginning of April. From that date no paper payslips will be produced, which will make a huge difference in terms of data security. Environmentally, it will also be a positive change in terms of the amount of paper we are using, and of course the cost of postage and printing.

We will continue to share reminders over the coming weeks so, if you aren’t already, there is plenty of time for you to get logged in and start using the national Electronic Staff record (ESR) before we move to paperless payslips in April. We will also be providing further information about how to sign up to ESR for those who need it.

Appointment of Chief Allied Health Professional
I’m pleased to confirm that we have appointed Simon Chase as Chief Allied Health Professional, following an interview process. He will be starting immediately, initially on a seconded basis. I am sure you will join me in welcoming Simon to his new role in the Trust.

Thank you Thursday

"I don't know the young lade I spoke to that day but please, please thank her for me and my family. That day she and the crew saved his life by making sure the information got through and he was prioritised. I just wanted to express my thanks, it's important dispatchers know how important they are".

 

Take care,

Kate Vaughton
Deputy Chief Executive Officer

 

Important Trust News

• Have your say – National Quarterly Pulse Survey now live

  On Monday (9^th January), the latest National Quarterly Pulse Survey went live and we’re asking you to take a couple of minutes to share your views.
  
  You should have received an email from Picker containing your unique link to the survey. If you haven’t received the link, you can find out more about the survey and complete it here. The survey is open until 31^st January.
  
  Your responses are completely anonymous so we cannot identify anyone from the answers they give. This quarterly survey runs alongside the annual NHS Staff Survey giving you a regular opportunity to provide feedback which we can then use to plan and shape the direction of the organisation for the future.

 

Published 12th January 2023