Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 06 May 2024 at 14:40
This week's We Are EEAST Briefing and Executive Q&A was led by CEO Tom Abell. This week Tom was joined by Kate Vaughton, Deputy CEO and Director of Integration.
Introduction from Tom
Starts @ 00:09
Ends @ 05:32
Introduction from Kate
Starts @ 05:33
Ends @ 16:11
Questions
Q1 - Historically estate problems at frontline stations have taken far too long for faults to be rectified - for example Kempston Ambulance Station had no central heating last winter for many months. Kempston Station now has had no hot water for over a week with it looking unlikely that it will be repaired anytime soon. How is this acceptable when frontline staff require showers/cleaning facilities when dealing with body fluids/blood/infection on a daily basis?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 16:30
Ends @ 18:12
Q2 - Is there going to be any downgrading of roles and grades as part of time to lead?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 18:13
Ends @ 18:28
Q3 - With an ever-expanding Trust, what actions are the Trust going to take to bring on more support and admin staff into recruitment, payroll, HR etc? I strongly believe that there are two and a half people in the recruitment team, one person working in payroll and 0.7 staff working in HR - surely the Trust can help out these vital teams and give them more staff.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 18:29
Ends @ 20:29
Q4 - Please can we have clarification regarding the banding agreement as many of us are still in the dark and not getting replies to emails. Some in our area received back pay in March, but no-one has had a letter, or any communication as promised. As the original letter was almost one year ago and we have no further specific information, can we please have confirmation that we will have back pay for the Trust delaying this agreement by almost one year? Many have now lost out financially in the Trust taking so long to resolve this.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 20:31
Ends @ 21:24
Q5 - Afternoon, are you able to commit to any timelines with Time to Lead? As the uncertainty is affecting morale.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 21:25
Ends @ 22:34
Q6 - When will stations in North Essex be looked at? The previous Chief Exec stated that it was going back to board with options and requirements prior to her leaving. Nothing has happened and the stations across the north are no longer fit for purpose.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 22:37
Ends @ 23:40
Q7 - A number of staff have reported an unusual allergic reaction to the new uniform, is this something you are aware of and what can be done?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 23:41
Ends @ 24:34
Q8 - During busy times we refuse to send ambulances to those who do not require ambulances. When we are not busy we are getting deployed to C3 and C4 calls which do not require ambulances and wouldn’t have been allocated an ambulance if we were under extreme pressure. Why are we sending ambulances to those who simply do not require them. I understand this new access to the stack system is meant to mitigate the abuse of ambulances, but this is not filtering out the jobs P/C 111 C2 stubbed toe six weeks ago or P/C C1 chronic back pain ongoing for seven years, no traumatic markers. When will we make a no-nonsense stance?
Answered by Tom and Kate
Starts @ 24:36
Ends @ 28:10
Q9 – Kate - Thanks so much for the work you are doing, it is incredibly nice to hear. Is it possible that a Patient Safety Specialist is present at the ICB meetings (or one of them) so we can understand what is in the pipeline and how we can help communities outside of the Trust. I know there are some staff, including myself, that are very passionate about being able to work with their local communities.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 28:12
Ends @ 29:20
Q10 - What should we do if concerns raised via LOMs and AGMs are not resolved? Where do we turn if staff consistently feel unsupported?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 29:22
Ends @ 29:50
Q11 - What is being done to combat some hospitals being obstructive when crews try and offload at 45 minutes?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 29:51
Ends @ 31:07
Q12 – Why are PTS staff who are ACA in skills and have C1 full license who are very keen to progress with in the Trust and have applied for vacancy yet never get the chance to progress?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 31:09
Ends @ 32:10
Q13 - May have previously been asked - is there any medal or award for staff in relation to the Kings Coronation?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 32:12
Ends @ 32:47
Q14 - Can we have a guarantee that all future vehicles will have the health and safety/ergonomics certified and signed off at the prototype stage?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 32:48
Ends @ 33:37
Q15 - We’re a 24-hour service - why isn’t C&P call before you convey 24 hours, why do we have to wait 4 hours for OOHGP to call us back when we attended one of THEIR jobs? Why does SPOC and CAL appear understaffed on nights? If we’re going to be taking on new initiatives surely we should be telling partner agencies that they can’t be doing their band 8a 9-5 shifts and they need to work with us on our terms.
Answered by Tom and Kate
Starts @ 33:38
Ends @ 36:51
Q16 - Good afternoon, please may the withdrawal of the payment for end of shift domestic duties be reviewed? There are increasing number of things we have to complete, and we are being asked to give more and more time for free which is not acceptable.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 36:54
Ends @ 37:40
Q17 - Given the (seemingly) high numbers of staff leaving EEAST to other Trusts, has there been any consideration to a retention bonus? There are golden handshakes for some joiners, and I think a retention bonus could make a difference, particularly when looking at Trusts like LAS who pay High Cost of Living payments due to their location making them financially more attractive.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 37:41
Ends @ 39:28
Q18 – Some time ago I suggested the introduction of the posthumous awarding of a commemorative flag for the loved ones of our fallen colleagues. Has this moved forward?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 39:29
Ends @ 40:08
Q19 - For the last few shifts I have been moved shift onto double crewed RRVs as the local Fiat DSA fleet is not roadworthy and have been broken for months. When are we going to finally say enough is enough and begin to invest in reliable, appropriate vehicles? How can we be proud of our ambulances when they’re always on the back of a low-loader? It’s embarrassing.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 40:10
Ends @ 41:40
Q20 - Why are staff required to submit a time sheet to get unsocial payments? Talking to staff in hospital Trusts they don't have to submit a time sheet in order to be paid. And why is there a discrepancy between those remaining on annex 5 (% based) and section 2 in that those on annex 5 will get paid unsocial without submitting a timesheet.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 41:42
Ends @ 42:26
Q21 – Please can you advise any update on the new RRV?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 42:28
Ends @ 43:26
Q22 - With the Trust constantly talking about diversity and inclusion and making staff feel supported why does the Trust constantly fail to include or support the more aged members of staff in any plans? Particularly frontline staff who find the physical demands challenging and often leading to injury and sickness, from what I have seen of staff approaching retirement they are treated as nuisance and not an asset.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 43:28
Ends @ 45:19
Q23 - How is it that the new Clinical Supervisor role that required an application, interview and signing of a HR2 managed to retain existing terms and conditions, whereas anyone else that moves role has to move to section 2?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 45:21
Ends @ 46:04
Q24 - Why are staff being asked for comment on the future of centralised rostering when a model has already been decided and been agreed at ELT? Any thoughts we have are irrelevant because of this. The new approach has many potential flaws but there's no point citing these as the Trust has already decided what it wants.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 46:07
Ends @ 47:44
Q25 – Is there any further work that can be done regarding the frequent callers to the Trust? Is a one send in 24hrs the most appropriate "most" we can do? Why does it take so long to get plans in place and why are we not working with the police to prosecute more of these for inappropriate use of 999?
Answered by Tom and Kate
Starts @ 47:48
Ends @ 50:33
Q26 - Baring in mind current pressure we are under - I attended a C3 patient down run of the mill job, we don’t mind this kind of job, we help out the patient and make her a cup of tea and we all get on with our lives - on this occasion, we turned up and a council team had been deployed, helped out the patient and stated that A) Ambo was not required, and B) Council team did not know that ambo had been deployed - how has this happened? This multi-agency crossover/miss deployment has happened countless times, how does it keep happening?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 50:37
Ends @ 51:45
Q27 - Would the Trust be open to offering an optional contract for band 6 that involved a degree of performance related bonus? E.g., pass a bleep test four times a year, present a comprehensive CPD portfolio, pass an OSCE alongside a resus drill four times a year, sign on within five minutes of shift start. Payments for each qualifying item per quarter.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 51:47
Ends @ 52:31
Q28 - When are the Advanced Para’s going to get their own specific RRVs to use. The AP’s sit outside of Ops on GRS, and this is making it very difficult for A&E management to be able to see when an RRV is needed by them. This has been ongoing for quite some time now and some of the Para’s are getting frustrated and demoralised. I believe that there are some business use only blue light lease cars around that could possibly be “redistributed” or “borrowed” while we are waiting.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 52:33
Ends @ 53:17
Q29 - I disagree with your numbers, because out of the so called referred 2000, many of those patients have just called back and then the jobs have been made a C2, as a dispatcher I have seen this happen and crews know this because on their data screens the same job details appear later on in this shift that they were stood down on beforehand, numbers appears fraudulent in my eyes.
Answered by Tom and Kate
Starts @ 53:19
Ends @ 55:33
Q30 - My work leads me to work alongside EMAS on a regular basis - most of EMAS’s receiving hospitals have MROs stationed at them - you bring your pt in, they clean out, restock your ambo for you - this gives us time for a cuppa and we clear within the 15 minutes happy and filled up with tea. Is this something EEAST is willing to explore?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 55:37
Ends @ 56:31
Q31 - Could you please take care of the plant behind you and to stand away from the wall thanks.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 56:33
Ends @ 56:50
Close from Tom
Starts @ 56:51
Ends @ 57:28
You can catch up on previous We Are EEAST Briefings on our Archive page. You can also catch up on Local Manager's Briefings here.
Published 8th May 2023