Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 06 May 2024 at 16:46
This week's We Are EEAST Briefing and Executive Q&A was led by our Director of Nursing, Safety and Quality, Melissa Dowdeswell and Interim Medical Director Simon Walsh. This week they were joined by Jason Gillingham and Duncan Moore from our clinical team.
Introduction from Simon
Starts @ 00:10
Ends @ 05:44
Introduction from Melissa
Starts @ 05:46
Ends @ 07:06
and
Starts @ 12:06
Ends @ 12:47
Duncan Moore - Unmet needs
Starts @ 07:10
Ends @ 12:03
Jason Gillingham - Future developments
Starts @ 12:48
Ends @ 19:40
Q1 - When will we be expanding our drugs selection? Items such as nasal fentanyl for children, Penthrox and buccal medazolam would be very useful?
Answered by Melissa and Jason
Starts @ 20:06
Ends @ 21:46
Q2 - Are there any plans to train up our staff to advanced urgent care clinicians? Increasing these numbers would drastically cut hospital trips.
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 21:51
Ends @ 22:41
Q3 - How do you feel about Verstappen winning the championship?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 22:43
Ends @ 22:51
Message from Tom - I am no surprised and am glad I didn’t get up to watch it!
Q4 - What plans are in place to mitigate the potential GMB strike?
Answered by Melissa and Simon
Starts @ 22:52
Ends @ 24:00
Q5 - We continue to lose qualified staff at a vast rate resulting in increasing pressure on those loyal few who remain. I note that we recently put out a recruitment video but there seems little point in recruitment until we fix the flood of staff leaving for better training, pay and hours. What are you plans?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 24:05
Ends @ 25:21
Q6 - Staff are under ever increasing pressure at home with cost of living rises and ever-increasing hours due to hospital delays. This leads to increased risk of staff snapping. Following a recent incident, what measures are being put in place to protect managers from staff?
Answered by Melissa
Start @ 25:23
Ends @ 26:25
Q7 - Hello Simon, can we have some honesty re Marcus? We have history in the trust of people going on 'extended leave' and not returning, first the CEO Dorothy, then Dr Tom, now Marcus. Should we just assume he won't be back in his role as COO?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 26:26
Ends @ 27:18
Q8 - How can the Trust justify forcing staff into financial hardship by enforcing retrospective section 2 unsociable hours payments, when the NHS terms and conditions clearly state that prospective payments are perfectly acceptable for those staff on fixed rota lines?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 27:19
Ends @ 28:02
Q9 – Afternoon! Any suggestions (polite preferably!) as to where we are expected to put another 30-odd ECAs/A-EMTs when they arrive in our area in the very near future? We struggle enough with placing the university students, let alone a huge influx of people who can't drive and need qualified crew mates... help!
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 28:11
Ends @ 29:35
Q10 - I’ve noticed that EEAST are recruiting AHP’s including Operating Department Practitioners as part of the Pre-Hospital Practitioner recruitment drive. How will these AHP’s Specifically ODP’s be integrated in Ambulance operations given the restrictions on not being able to work without supervision or being able to use parental medications under PGD’s.
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 29:36
Ends @ 31:37
Q11 - Apologies not overly clinical question. What is the threshold for EEAST declaring major incident due to hospital queuing as opposed to major incident standby?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 31:41
Ends @ 32:45
Q12 - Can we be clear on parameters of the unmet needs? The example of fire service referrals already exists within SPOC and do not need another pathway for it, when we have established relationships to do safe and well checks.
Answered by Melissa and Duncan
Starts @ 32:48
Ends @ 34:45
Q13 - This maybe a personal sentiment however, messages on MDT asking, no, insisting crews to check whether or not to transport a Pt to hospital with another clinician who doesn't have eyes on the pt, somewhat demeaning, especially when aimed a specific staff grade, as an EMT of 10 years plus experience, as well as numerous years previous clinical experience... I however do appreciate a support line for assistance when required...
Answered by Melissa and Jason
Starts @ 34:54
Ends @ 37:45
Q14 - Regarding the "major incident standby" last weekend, what did this achieve for the Trust, our patients and ourselves? I would be very surprised if this suddenly resulted in a few million pounds falling out of the sky, more staff suddenly arriving for duty or a manufacturer suddenly providing more vehicles. So, what did the MI standby provide? And for the future, if we declared a MI (relating to low PFSH or increased hospital handovers etc) again, what would that achieve?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 37:47
Ends @ 40:55
Q15 - Judging from the various adverts for private providers, the going rate for a band 6 mentoring paramedic is around £60,000 per annum for a 4 on 4 off with no nights (so unsocial hours would bring an enhancement on top of that). How do we expect to recruit new staff or retain staff for overtime or bank work when we don’t pay the going rate?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 40:57
Ends @ 42:12
Q16 - Is it true that Rapid Response clinicians are banned from taking breaks at our stations? If so, why?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 42:14
Ends @ 42:28
Q17 - With the current reintroduction of Intubation for Leading Operations Managers (LOMs) across the EEAST. Will there now be OD full University funding for LOMs to go onto Advance Practice University level 7 Units such as Advanced Trauma, Advanced Cardiac interpretation, Toxicology, etc. In other words, funding both at BSc level units and Masters, for LOMs to have paid time off to attend said University courses and fully funded University courses?
Answered by Melissa and Jason
Starts @ 42:31
Ends @ 45:54
Q18 - When senior managers attend MTA training can they please have the basic courtesy of introducing themselves to the assembled team rather than launching into complaints about our performance? It doesn’t give a very good first impression to those who have never met them before.
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 45:55
Ends @ 46:35
Q19 - It has been said that CFRs will be utilised to non-injury falls and call CAL to discharge on scene. Should we be using our NCD instead? At least they get paid.
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 46:36
Ends @ 47:17
Q20 - As a Senior Tech who previously worked as part of the falls team, I was sad when the CCG pulled the funding and took this away from our particular area. Is there any scope to re-introduce this type of scheme?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 47:18
Ends @ 48:18
Q21 - What has happened to the staff responder programme?
Answered by Melissa and Simon
Starts @ 48:19
Ends @ 50:11
Q22 - When are we replacing the Fiat with something more reliable? They seem, to put it politely, fragile.
Answered by Simon
Starts @ 50:29
Ends @ 51:37
Q23 – Welcome to the latest 14 graduate Paramedics who joined us on Monday at Hellesdon training school. I know several have joined us this afternoon. This is the first group following the new 3-week Induction programme in EEAST for graduates, so wish you luck for your career here at EEAST.
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 51:46
Ends @ 52:02
Q24 - If we cannot have nasal fentanyl, can we have oramorph back please?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 52:03
Ends @ 52:34
Q25 - Opportunities for all staff to progress... it’s been said so many times, but it hasn't happened in the last 10 years. That's why some staff are leaving, how long do you expect staff to wait for these opportunities?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 52:36
Ends @ 53:37
Q26 - Does the Executive recognise so many managers are feeling devalued at all levels. The important emphasis on staff needs leaves this vital manager group feeling taken for granted: we are the glue that binds all delivery together and actually make change happen, we feel ignored. What will EEAST do to correct this? Sorry if this is uncomfortable feedback.
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 53:38
Ends @ 55:22
Q27 - If our hands are tied regarding up front pay but we have awesome benefits, why are we not shouting these from the rooftops?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 55:24
Ends @ 55:58
Q28 - I am seriously thinking that as a protest for one week any crews that are at hospital at their IX time should wheel their pt into hospital and loudly state... This pt is under your care, we have finished our shift and are now departing... Leave the stretcher with pt in ED, walk out… Count to 10 outside come back in and take pt back to ambo... To highlight what might happen.... Im getting worn down by late finish due to unload delay, 2 and a half hours last night, every shift this month late or no meal break… Every shift in Ooct late off averaging 1hour per shift…
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 56:05
Ends @ 58:10
Q29 - Good afternoon. You have all used the phrase "we are doing a lot of work on" or "you will see this soon", but that gives no confidence to us staff who are completely demoralised and see the executive as outliers and completely disconnected from our world. Please help us - I'm watching this as wanting to know more but I get more updates from Facebook and Twitter than these forums.
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 58:12
Ends @ 1:00:06
Close from Melissa
Starts @ 1:00:08
Ends @ 1:00:38
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 17th October 2022