Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 06 May 2024 at 16:53
This week's We Are EEAST Briefing and Executive Q&A was led by our Chief Executive, Tom Abell. This week Tom was joined by Melissa Dowdeswell, Director of Nursing, Safety and Quality.
Introduction from Melissa
Starts @ 00:10
Ends @ 05:27
Introduction from Tom
Starts @ 05:29
Ends @ 10:11
Q1 - What incentive can you give staff to stay with EEAST other than "working for the NHS is a privilege"? Most of us can't afford privilege.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 10:18
Ends @ 11:54
Q2 - The introduction of vehicles manufactured by MAN and Ford is welcomed, but are the Trust absolutely certain that considering redeployment for some staff is legal, when it is the NHS who procured the vehicles and created the issue?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 11:56
Ends @ 13:06
Q3 - After the decision made today regarding the decision for the agenda for section 2 will you be contacting the staff who were incorrectly moved onto section 2 when we were informed we weren’t required to move to section 2 but as you are aware many of us were moved regardless? Now you have acknowledged this was incorrect, will staff moved get the option to move back to annex 5? I’m aware Tom has been involved in this situation so I’m sure he will be able to answer this question.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 13:08
Ends @ 14:23
Q4 – Melissa, how can the Trust put the business support role through job evaluation twice, with it generating band 6, promised business support staff the increase and then subsequently pulled this from under them? Can you, on behalf of the Exec, acknowledge that the handling of this has been poor, with no care/consideration for the impact on the wellbeing of the business support staff we have?
Answered by Tom and Melissa
Starts @ 14:24
Ends @ 15:16
Q5 - The Trust is required to save money. Why have we created band 7 business support project manager roles when the job evaluation only showed this role at band 6?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 15:17
Ends @ 15:30
Q6 - We seem to have a lot of strategies and continually regurgitate the same blurb again and again, yet we never seem to see actual on the ground improvements. Is this just talk?
Answered by Tom and Melissa
Starts @ 15:32
Ends @ 19:06
Q7 - I love working for EEAST, but I do feel extremely let down that NOTHING about PTS ever features on these Q&A sessions by the Exec. Is my role less important than AOC and operational colleagues?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 19:07
Ends @ 20:51
Q8 - How can staff be challenged about social media posts when some individuals have social media profiles with a EEAST-prefix seem to be allowed to post publicly, anything they like with other directors commenting and liking inappropriate content? Double standards?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 20:52
Ends @ 21:58
Q9 - Will EEAST run a Mental Health vehicle? Thoughts on collaborating with police or MH nurses?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 21:58
Ends @ 23:26
Q10 - Will ECAT be expanded, and if so, as the last 2 years have shown, with the success of senior EMTs in ECAT with good performance, will the opening for EMTs to apply be available to become hear and treat Clinicians?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 23:27
Ends @ 24:02
Q11 - With the current sharp rise in ambulances waiting at hospital is anything being put in place to help staff who are stuck at hospital past break window and still there at end of shift? Some Halo's are looking after local crews with cohorting and basically telling out of areas crews they must just look after themselves.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 25:05
Ends @ 27:20
Q12 – Any update re manning welfare wagon with external staff such as Red Cross?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 27:22
Ends @ 27:44
Q13 - HALO positions have gone out to many hospitals and yet again only open to Paramedics. Can you possibly explain why this mainly administrative role is Band 7 and as said only Paramedics. It is almost again jobs for the chosen few with everyone else being told sorry you're not good enough.
Answered by Tom and Melissa
Starts @ 27:45
Ends @ 29:44
Q14 - Why has ECS been scrapped, to then introduce a very poor attempt at providing training to staff with a 1-hour chat on the back of an ambulance about resus? We always score low on staff surveys for a lack of training and development – is this really the way forward?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 29:47
Ends @ 31:49
Q15 - Thank you for Costa Coffee Voucher survey deal - looking forward to it. A coffee goes a long way.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 31:50
Ends @ 31:57
Q16 - Appreciate the £5 Costa voucher for completing the national survey.... are there any competition issues here as we are promoting Costa over all other brands?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 31:59
Ends @ 32:37
Q17 - Why do the Trust not pay their staff section 2 unsociable hours payments prospectively rather than in arrears when they are on a fixed rota line as is suggested by the NHS terms and conditions?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 32:38
Ends @ 33:30
Q18 – Hello, over the last two and a half weeks 20 crews from mid and south Herts have been sent into Essex; and then we hear the general broadcasts going out in our area. Transferring crews to other areas is having a negative impact locally on our responses to patients, increasing late finishes and is another factor hitting morale. We have put forward some ideas but we don’t seem to be getting any traction on tackling the problem…
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 33:32
Ends @ 35:27
Q19 - Does it not highlight the dire straits we are currently in with regards to unloading at acutes that in Waveney we have requested and been given access to Repose pressure relieving cushions, because. Patients are waiting on ambulance so long.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 35:29
Ends @ 36:20
Q20 - Hi Tom, whilst I understand that the pay issue needs to be addressed nationally, many staff are getting to a position where they cannot afford to stay with EEAST. Especially when the private companies who are contracted by EEAST are offering our staff much more money to do the same job. We are stuck in this cycle of paying millions of pounds of private ambulance services who are then able to offer our staff better rates of pay and better conditions... Is this just the start of privatisation of EEAST and why should our staff stay?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 36:21
Ends @ 38:34
Q21 - When the new vehicles are trialled, is it possible to ensure that West Hertfordshire staff (Hemel and Watford) get the opportunity to use these. It often feels as though we are the forgotten area of the Trust. Generally these trials seem to take place in Bedfordshire, Stevenage and Norfolk and we are the last to get anything new.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 38:35
Ends @ 39:08
Q22 - Currently there are adverts for Advanced Paramedics in Urgent care. Are there any plans to upskill current Band 6 paramedics?
Answered by Tom and Melissa
Starts @ 39:10
Ends @ 40:01
Q23 – Hello, why is the Trust insisting on paramedic led flu jab clinics, in community band 3 and above can deliver injections?
Answered by Melissa
Starts @ 40:07
Ends @ 41:39
Q24 - What about accumulative bonuses to say thanks for sticking with us and not leaving for an enticing deal elsewhere?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 41:44
Ends @ 42:16
Q25 - Feedback with regards to the National Guardians Freedom to speak focus groups. I attended and the session was good.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 42:17
Ends @ 42:37
Q26 - Is there work happening to give call handlers the full training to allow them to use MPDS system rather than ECHM to reduce the amount of ridiculous cat1 calls?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 42:38
Ends @ 44:05
Q27 – (Ian Fazakerley) Hi, do we have any consideration to bring back clinical call review by qualified staff within AOC at the time of call - something similar to ECT that was present a few years ago, crews are continually attending incorrectly coded C1 calls increasing the pressure on AOC staff and road to respond to these?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 44:06
Ends @ 44:50
Q28 - Can we review the advice given to care homes around falls, the number of patients having to go to hospital due to long lays, with no other clinical need appears to be increasing, consider running care homes through the “I stumble” app to get the patient off the floor. A recent example I recently went to a Pt who was on the floor face down for 12hrs, we quickly got her up off the floor, took to hospital only because of the time on floor, admitted due to kidney concerns after bloods take… Dr said likely due to the response delay.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 44:51
Ends @ 45:56
Q29 – Is 111 triage tool the same as EEAST and if not, will there be any collaborative work done to make the systems more synchronised?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 45:57
Ends @ 46:57
Q30 - Is there going to be any investment in IT systems? It seems there are systems out there such as Skillstream which other Trusts are using which would save time and reduce the need for some resources being recruited in places.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 46:58
Ends @ 47:45
Q31 - Two weeks ago it was asked that we email OCE and specific staff about not getting a response re: the banding agreement for delayed SP courses. People have been emailing for advice/help, but no one is replying. The letters about this were sent 30th June and there has been no communication since. When will someone acknowledge our emails, and explain what is happening?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 47:47
Ends @ 48:25
Q32 - What do the band 7 business support project managers actually do? I would argue potentially less than the band 5 business support staff (who are due band 6).
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 48:28
Ends @ 49:25
Q33 – (James Forbes) We already have trials working alongside colleagues in Norfolk and Waveney, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with a mental health vehicle crewed with a senior mental health nurse and senior paramedic.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 49:26
Ends @ 49:48
Q34 - What is the process to undergo a rota review please? I know owed hours is an ongoing issue, but the rota is the root of the problem.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 49:49
Ends @ 50:50
Q35 - When speaking with fellow colleagues with regard the back pay that was given to us last month, it seems that across various pay grades we all received the same amount across the board. This looks like the service could not be bothered to calculate the correct amount and gave an across-the-board payment.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 50:51
Ends @ 51:54
Q36 - Is there a plan for the HALO to go 24/7 at JPUH?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 52:01
Ends @ 52:33
Q37 - As a part time HALO can I please assure the previous person that there is definitely a degree of clinical knowledge required but there is no reason why a band 6 nurse could not complete the role.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 52:34
Ends @ 52:47
Q38 - BLMK ICB are offering Raizer chairs and iStumble training to all care homes across Beds and Luton. Hopefully this will progress to other sectors.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 52:48
Ends @ 53:03
Q39 - During budget setting for this financial year, my request to uplift to a new band was rejected, again I am seeing more 8b/d jobs advertised. What assurance can we get that during budget setting we will be rewarded with funds to recruit new team members to meet the needs of our service we deliver for the Trust?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 53:04
Ends @ 53:50
Q40 - There is a lot of promise about more new technology to be used in every area of improvement & change. But we are not investing enough in our IT team to make all this work possible. Staff are burning out, not just on the front line but support services as well.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 53:51
Ends @ 54:39
Q41 - Can we look at having a dedicated falls ambulance crew for each station? Half the reason we end up taking falls to hospital is due to the long waits. I am seriously concerned that our elderly community are spending too long on the floor, and this is often resulting in major health problems.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 54:40
Ends @ 55:41
Q42 – Hello Tom, thank you for all your hard work. I am a part of the PHEM Feedback project. A few weeks ago, I supplied a completed ISA from N&N to Information Governance to approve but despite two follow up emails we have not heard anything back. We are very keen to move things forward at N&N and so was wondering if the exec has had time to review the ISA yet?
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 55:43
Ends @ 56:20
Q43 – Hi Tom, re: vouchers, next time it may be worth looking at something like the 'Prezzee' voucher, which can be gifted and then the user redeems at a retailer of their choice.
Answered by Tom
Starts @ 56:22
Ends @ 56:42
Close by Tom
Starts @ 56:43
Ends @ 58:16
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 3rd October 2022