Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 06 May 2024 at 14:20
This week's We Are EEAST Briefing and Executive Q&A was led by CEO Tom Abell. Tom was joined by our Director of Strategy, Culture and Education Hein Scheffer.
Introduction from Tom
Starts @ 00:09
Ends @ 05:55
Introduction from Hein
Starts @ 06:00
Ends @ 11:18
Questions
Q1 - Hein - lots of apprentices come to the end of their pathway in February with MediPro. Where do learners/staff stand if they have not met the grade, and suggest that MediPro have not supported them? Is there any course of action for these individuals?
Answered by Hein
Starts @ 11:48
Ends @ 12:27
Q2 - What recompense is the Trust going to give AEMTS who have been treated unprofessionally by both EEAST and Medipro and for all the hours they had to spend doing the portfolio when this should have been done on the job hours.
Answered by Hein
Starts @ 11:29
Ends @ 13:07
Q3 - I have a uniform based question. My soft-shell jacket sleeve was damaged at work and when it was replaced rather than throw it away I removed the sleeves and produced a sleeveless jacket which is far better to wear and adheres to the bare below the elbow ethos. With the change in uniform policy, I cannot wear it now, is it possible to have a sleeveless jacket made for us all to use, I did get many comments from colleagues asking where they can get a similar jacket to the one I made. In the short term is it possible for me to continue to wear the one I have?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 13:29
Ends @ 14:49
Q4 - There was a lot of concern over the standard load list for DSAs last week - is there any update where we should revert back to how things were to minimise the risk to patients?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 14:50
Ends @ 15:43
Q5 - Hi Tom, just asking with regards to incidental overtime, how can we be expected to de kit the ambulance (working) and not be able to claim overtime for this?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 15:45
Ends @ 16:31
Q6 - Fleet availability is a problem Trust wide. Understand vehicles from MAN and Ford are likely to be utilised in the near future - are we not able to lease ambulances from a private provider and get them CQC registered. The problem is here and NOW.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 16:32
Ends @ 18:32
Q7 - It seems that people are being invited to have meetings regarding not being able to drive Fiats, are these staff going to be taken down the capability route? If so could you share who decided on the Fiats and what staff were asked to test out these vehicles when they were being looked at as a replacement for the Mercs. As myself and other staff members on the road in my area never got asked, and we are the ones that use them daily.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 18:33
Ends @ 20:55
Q8 - What is happening with regard to the large amount of Fiat vehicles that are awaiting repairs and leaving stations short of vehicles and not enough vehicles for normal staff to fulfil their normal hours?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 20:58
Ends @ 22:03
Q9 - Question for Tom: Further to a previous update at the beginning of October, there has been no further news on the follow-up to 'Student Paramedic Progression' delays.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 22:05
Ends @ 23:35
Q10 - Why is it so hard for staff to progress onto other roles within the service? Hard to be continually turned down when they have many extra skills that can be used which are not recognised.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 23:38
Ends @ 25:09
Additional Information from Hein - I am working with Alisdair, Chris and Ant to make it easier for our people to progress. We have begun to develop internal only progression pathways to ensure it is far easier for staff to progress - first internal only band 3 to AEMT cohort started last Monday.
Q11 - Good evening Hein, are there plans in place for apprentices if MediPro do lose their licence to train as a result of the Ofsted inspection?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 25:11
Ends @ 25:51
Additional information from Hein - We believe it is unlikely that MediPro will lose their ability to train, but are looking at alternative providers in any event, as the MediPro contract will come to an end at the end of the year, so we are planning tender procedures already. This may include our Higher Education Institutions as example.
Q12 - It appears to be EEASTs position that apprentices only work with qualified staff moving forwards, as they are "deemed vulnerable by virtue of being an apprentice". What is the implication of this on Apprentice Paramedics, are they still "vulnerable" in the same way as level 3 and 4 learners, and should they also only be working with qualified [paramedics] throughout their pathway?
Answered by Hein
Starts @ 25:53
Ends @ 26:44
Q13 - Questions regarding the meetings for those who cannot drive Fiats was also asked last week. Any update on this process please Tom?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 26:53
Ends @ 27:32
Q14 - Tom - as a known formula 1 fan - would you support a team with a Fiat engine? Asking for a friend ;)
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 27:33
Ends @ 28:22
Q15 - Are the service not able to bring in another supplier for fleet repairs over a short period to try to repair some of these vehicles quicker?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 28:25
Ends @ 29:17
Q16 - Hein completely avoided the question around compensation to current apprentice techs who have had to use their own time to do portfolios when Ofsted clearly state in their report this should been completed in working hours.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 29:20
Ends @ 29:57
Additional information from Hein - It is important to note that all apprenticeships have a sufficient level of off the job hours included - that was reviewed by staff side partners and agreed to this. If learners feel they need over and above this amount their education provider would need to include this in the action plan and EEAST will look to review on ca case by case basis.
Q17 - Are other services that are using the same Fiat based vehicles having the same problems that we are having?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 29:58
Ends @ 30:37
Q18 - When will EEAST be able to return to delivering a full suite of education pathways and apprenticeships internally? Do we have plans to establish a purpose-built educational estate too - assume Abbeygate is not a long term or sustainable solution?
Answered by Tom and Hein
Starts @ 30:39
Ends @ 32:50
Q19 - Question for Dr Schaffer from a point raised and answer I have recently been turned down for 6 roles within the service. I have been applying for positions due to medical issues and it seems that just not able to get anywhere, difficult to be turned down for a position when they say they are employing someone with experience that was not required within the job specification. Seems a very steep uphill struggle to progress within the service.
Answered by Hein
Starts @ 33:03
Ends @ 33:45
Additional information from Hein - I am keen that we support our people to be successful on internal progression, so please drop me a note, so we can support you in this regard
Q20 – I just wanted to pick up the thank you Thursday - and let everyone know that we receive far far more compliments than complaints, and also when the Patient Safety Team investigate 'serious incidents' the families we contact are always so happy and make comment that the ambulance staff were fantastic.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 33:58
Ends @ 35:07
Q21 – A question regarding the banding agreement for delays on SAP courses and moving further through band 6. We got a letter in June, and then didn’t hear anything until October, when we were told they had been busy and had staff shortages, hence the delay. We are still yet to hear anything since then. Considering the agreement concerns delays in our progression anyway, when will we be contacted about how this affects us individually and what compensation will there be about the fact this is delaying progression even further? The agreement was made in spring last year, yet none of us have seen any effect from this yet.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 35:09
Ends @ 36:20
Q22 - HI Tom, how is that staff are able to run up hours owed, some of my crew mates have been told they owe over 200 hours and are expected to make this up on rest days. Surely as we do not have control over rostering, and that after the awful building better rosters which got rid of a lot of 12 hour shifts and put short shifts in which Rob Ashford stated would improve service delivery which clearly didn't, us staff are already completely burnt out as even shorter 8 and 10 hour shifts are 12 -14 hours, should be responsible for this obvious lack of proper management of staff time and should be giving up their much needed rest days to make these hours up, and how is this even allowed to happen. Thank you.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 36:22
Ends @ 38:11
Q23 - What happens to apprentices who are awaiting their end point if MediPro lose their education status? Apprentices have been through enough with this shambolic saga.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 38:13
Ends @ 38:30
Additional information from Hein - All learners will be supported through their End Point Assessment regardless of the outcome form the EFSA, although as said earlier, it is highly unlike the ESFA will remove MediPro from the register.
Q24 - Dr Scheffer, I applied for the previous Apprentice Paramedic Pathway and was unsuccessful at the interview stage, I responded to my feedback as I disagreed with their findings but never received an acknowledgment or reply, I’ve applied again, will the Trust give any support for interview preparation to people like myself who have a wealth of experience and an unblemished record but do not use the correct “buzz words” at the 2 minute interview. I’ve now also applied and been given a start date for a new job outside the service at the end of April if unsuccessful again as I no longer feel supported.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 38:32
Ends @ 39:20
Q25 - Has been asked previously, why is the Halo role still a paramedic role only? Surely being placed in a hospital what paramedic skills do they use as never seen it done. Surely long-standing members of staff could do the job just as well.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 39:23
Ends @ 40:37
Q26 - The Trust VOR for operations today is 23% against what should be a maintenance reserve of 40%. All operational areas have today between 100 and 130% of their requirement. A lot of the issues in the last couple of weeks was over capacity with some areas putting out 140% of their funded capacity.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 40:39
Ends @ 41:19
Q27 - I joined the UOC course, and received no notification of contractual changes, but have now been told I will be moved to the new unsocial on registration and completion of the course. I'm aware I am lucky I've had the course paid for however, I didn't agree to a change in my pay and given the cost-of-living crisis I will actually be worse off financially but have more clinical responsibility.
Answered by Tom and Hein
Starts @ 41:22
Ends @ 42:23
Q28 - Hi Tom, colleagues within the Patient Safety Team are regularly seeing EEAST declare delay SIs which clearly have the root cause within system delays aka Ambulances queuing outside hospitals.
Is it not time for the system to undertake the DoC calls and recognise these as system Serious Incidents under an ICB heading? The Patient Safety Team has unfortunately become the team to apologise to patients and the next of kin for the wider system failings and pressures. Declaring an EEAST SI is not representative of what is going on.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 42:28
Ends @ 44:18
Q29 - Feedback is always promised however GMs and AGMs keep postponing the meeting until there is no point - much like the appraisal system (over 2 years and counting) - my experience anyway.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 44:21
Ends @ 44:54
Q30 - Please can we have clarification about whether we should be extracted for mandatory training? We get continuous emails about having to do it by a certain date, but never get a chance to do it at work, and don’t get any TOIL for doing it in our own time. Staff don’t want to do training like this in their own time and if it is so important to be mandatory, surely the Trust should give time to do it.
Answered by Hein
Starts @ 44:56
Ends @ 46:20
Q31 - Why is there still no development roles for Band 5 senior EMTs, especially those older members of staff who have only worked front line? There is no options to go for any other role as we are not Paramedics, but some of us have 20 years plus in the Trust. Its giving SEMTs no other choices when we have had enough of the road, apart from Make Ready which is a demotion, or Call Handler or Dispatcher, which again is a demotion. I find it hard to watch all the people I have mentored over many years in the service and have been promoted soon after they have qualified, to go on to band 8s and higher, and I know people will say we could have completed a Paramedic course but some of us are too old in the tooth to start a apprentice paramedic route, just to meet a criteria which Antony Marsh put in many many years ago during his time with us.
Answered by Hein
Starts @ 46:22
Ends @ 48:11
Q32 - We read on Kate's Exec message the new Chief Allied Health Professional position and we congratulate Simon on this inaugural appointment. What are the new plans for this role in the ICS/ICB landscape, particularly given the challenge we have with crossing 6 ICS areas?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 48:27
Ends @ 49:46
Q33 - Why are abstractions not supported for staff completing courses that are relevant and beneficial to their role? Whilst I appreciate the Trust funding the courses, having to complete a course 9-5 Monday to Thursday and then work 11.5-hour shifts Friday, Saturday and Sunday is not ideal...
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 49:48
Ends @ 50:44
Q34 - Agreed - no need for a HALO to be a paramedic - please can this be reviewed asap. We are really missing out on some good candidates.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 50:46
Ends @ 51:07
Additional information from Hein - We are working with operations to see how best we can find the balance for personal development and abstraction. Our abstraction rates are still the highest in the country, so it is a difficult balance.
Close from Tom
Starts @ 51:09
Ends @ 51:42
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 16th January 2023