Need to know
For #TeamEEAST Last updated: 06 May 2024 at 17:35
This week's We Are EEAST Briefing and Executive Q&A was led by our CEO, Tom Abell.
Introduction from Tom
Starts @ 00:10
Ends @ 06:31
Questions
Q1 - My question is simple to ask but I would presume a nightmare to implement. Are we able to cross charge the acute trusts for additional operating costs that result from offload delays. Example being incidentally incurred overtime costs and missed meal payments. This may help acutes press more funding to those 24/7 departments, at a time when central government has pushed for waiting lists to come down.
Starts @ 06:35
Ends @ 08:58
Q2 - Please can the Trust release a statement around Rapid Response, its administration, the financial impact on the Trust for money paid in advance and money now needed to pay moving forward and the revised operating/contract arrangements with Medicare taking them over.
Starts @ 09:00
Ends @ 11:31
Additional information from Kevin Smith, Director of Finance - The Trust does not pay in advance for any private ambulance shifts. Providers are only paid in arrears once invoices are checked against the CAD and authorised. The Trust has set a budget for the year for the use of private ambulances and is currently within this allocation. Private providers are engaged via formal contract arrangements following a procurement procedure.
Q3 - Will the Trust support unofficial industrial action by staff who fully supported strike?
Starts @ 11:32
Ends @ 12:11
Q4 - What is the Enhanced Paramedic role? Has the scope of practice been written yet and when will it be implemented?
Starts @ 12:13
Ends @ 13:06
Q5 – Good afternoon, many of our staff are struggling dramatically, across all bands, but most disproportionately our band 3 and 4 staff who make up a significant proportion of our road, support and control room rotas.
This week, it came to my attention that we have a large swathe of staff effectively on non-guaranteed hours contracts working in our call centres and that they and a significant number of other staff were now relying on using internal food banks set up in our AOCs. I feel this is awful and personally visited Norwich and placed my own donation in response to a desperate appeal that had been raised on social media. What can the Trust do to support our staff better, those good staff running the food banks at these locations and what can be put in place going forward, as this situation will only continue to worsen as the cost of living crisis deepens for our staff?
Starts @ 13:08
Ends @ 15:17
Q6 - We have heard that there is a proposal to extend the time that resources won't be dispatched to a C2 from 60 mins to 90 mins prior to shift end. The impact that late finishes have on staff is not under-estimated, but why are we putting high acuity patients at even more risk of harm?
Starts @ 15:18
Ends @ 17:20
Q7 - Has EEAST had conversations with the former employees of Rapid Response Group to offer NHS employment? - I understand a number of Apprentices will face losing their work placements and some other clinicians may not want to move to new employers.
Starts @ 17:22
Ends @ 18:22
Q8 - How do we provide feedback on the new standardised bags and vehicle layout?
Starts @ 18:23
Ends @ 18:59
Q9 – Hi Tom. Appraisals are a no brainer, but they need to link with personal development programmes where there is a TNA match between what an organisation and an individual needs. Currently, accessing development funds from LDU is unreliable which dents the development conversation with our people and a leader's reputation if not delivered… Is there a leaner/better access method for our leads?
Starts @ 19:00
Ends @ 19:45
Q10 – With regards to strike action, as expected there is a misrepresentation of the numbers of ambulance staff striking within the press - I'm referring specifically to the Daily Express yesterday. They were scare mongering saying that we are putting lives at risk etc. Many of us are refusing to strike because we will NOT put lives at risk! Would the Trust be willing to submit a statement to the press to counteract this scaremongering saying that many of us do not want to strike. I understand if you can't because the Trust needs to remain 'neutral'?
Starts @ 19:47
Ends @ 21:27
Q11 – May I ask what the Trust's position is with regards to supporting staff with regards to study/CPD/mandatory training time? To explain - I work on an RRV, I am self-funding a BSc Hons degree, I returned to frontline duties several months ago after injury. As an RRV I am physically going from 'job to job' with no 'at hosp' time. I am expected to try and complete EVOLVE training, JRCALC updates, mandatory training etc during work time (impossible these days) or in my own time. My rest days are currently being taken preparing/researching/writing my degree. As a longstanding Paramedic (as with all colleagues of all ranks), it is almost impossible to keep up to date. Incidentally I did not get any ECS this year.
Starts @ 21:28
Ends @ 23:29
Q12 - With a student university Paramedic frequently onboard, crews are struggling to find space to store kit bags and the new paediatric response bag safely alongside the usual kit. This is particularly an issue on the smaller Fiat fleet. Is there any solution to this being considered? Thank you.
Starts @ 23:31
Ends @ 24:13
Q13 - The new Fiat loading list is frankly awful - why haven't frontline staff been consulted on this, why were we not provided the opportunity to demo it, or explore the alternative options? Support services and frontline crews are fighting against each other - we should be getting more efficient, not less!
Starts @ 24:16
Ends @ 25:12
Q14 - What compensation are the Trust going to provide who have had to complete the apprenticeship tech in their own time. This is against the law. The apprenticeships should have been provided standdowns to complete this.
Starts @ 25:13
Ends @ 26:29
Q15 - Will IT services for support staff be actioned better/quicker than they are at present? Just because we are not front line does not mean our work is less important or less urgent and being without adequate IT resources is not acceptable. Often being fobbed off by IT or being told they cannot deal with the problem and do not know why things are not working. So much time wasted chasing for things to be done/finished by IT or poor items being provided (second hand) that are not completely set up by IT and not fit for purpose.
Starts @ 26:31
Ends @ 27:35
Q16 – I met Oliver from your Public Affairs team on Friday. When asked about the message being driven home to local MPs about the terrible state of our responses in the community. He stated that the message is, “we need more cohorting space at hospitals”. I find this exasperating that this is EEAST’s message, the majority of our staff despise cohorting. It forever feels like we are being used to mitigate risk for the acutes and prioritise their patients and our patients within the community are left to suffer without any clinical care. Please change your messaging to our MPs.
Starts @ 27:37
Ends @ 29:26
Q17 – Hi Tom. Will any C2 trial just discussed require Ethical Committee approval and oversight?
Starts @ 29:31
Ends @ 29:45
Q18 - Will EEAST staff be expected to respond to London calls on strike days?
Starts @ 29:46
Ends @ 31:09
Q19 - Yesterday it took me 20 minutes waiting for a desktop computer to load, then another 15 minutes waiting for the internet to load so I could complete an important statement. 35 minutes added to the ‘out of service’ time because of this. Our local IT system desperately needs updating.
Starts @ 31:11
Ends @ 31:50
Q20 - A major incident app appeared on our laptops today - is there any further information on what this is for please? Thank you.
Starts @ 31:52
Ends @ 32:22
Q21 – To add onto the question regarding loading kit onto DSA, as I am now expected to work on a DSA as an Advanced Paramedic, I raised the question with you and senior team colleagues 15 months ago about how my advanced practice kit can be loaded and carried safely on a DSA and how my specialist drugs can be locked away on the DSA in accordance with meds management policy. With respect I am yet to receive a satisfactory answer to my perfectly reasonable question - can someone enlighten me please?
Starts @ 32:24
Ends @ 33:12
Q22 - Can I ask why non-clinical drivers aka agency, are receiving day shifts, when permanent staff are not offered day overtime, when a permanent staff is available and willing to work it?
Starts @ 33:15
Ends @ 34:09
Q23 - Hi Tom. Has something been put in place from recruitment that they no longer provide feedback on an unsuccessful application? I recently received an automated email from them to say they will not provide feedback on my unsuccessful application.
Starts @ 34:11
Ends @ 34:54
Q24 - Are there any actual operational staff on the working group for the new Ford/MAN ambulances? As we are now routinely 3 up, due to delays obtaining C1/CERAD courses so many non-drivers kit storage is challenging and there is simply to enough space on the FIATs. When will the new Ford/MAN ambulances be coming on the road?
Starts @ 34:56
Ends @ 36:20
Q25 – With reference to cost-of-Living help Tom, unison has agreements for acceleration of band 6 for Paramedics which should have been completed by end of July, it’s still not happened. Also, there is an agreement in principle, but not announced, surrounding SAP delays and a pay agreement. Can we get these announced and actioned?
Starts @ 36:22
Ends @ 36:51
Q26 – Thank you for answering my Q's - may I cheekily ask... would you consider inviting a couple of staff (me??) to a future meeting discussing training requirements/time etc, so that we could provide a realistic view of what we are expected to do, the demands upon us? (You don't ask, you don't get!).
Starts @ 36:56
Ends @ 37:28
Q27 - When do we get more vehicles? We are often minus vehicles and have crews waiting hours for vehicles to sign onto. Clearly we don't have enough, and the Fiats aren't going to get any more reliable as they age...
Starts @ 37:29
Ends @ 39:26
Q28 - Do you know timelines or have any updates from the Department for Transport consultation on amending the C1 element?
Starts @ 39:28
Ends @ 40:19
Q29 - Will newly qualified techs move to band 5 after a year or is this completely scrapped in EEAST? Its unfair fellow techs have moved to senior techs after a year and band 5 but rumour has it we won't.
Starts @ 40:21
Ends @ 40:52
Q30 - Why are we still having the conversation about derogation when trusts like LAS have never moved to the national spec for ambulances?
Starts @ 40:54
Ends @ 41:43
Additional information from Paul Henry - Hi Tom. We will issue an update on vehicle derogation plans including how we can engage staff and set out the national expectations relating to design freedoms - which are few and directed by NHSE.
Q31 - When I go into the office it can take 45 minutes for my laptop to connect to the EEAST network. In that time, I end up missing Teams calls. I have to tell everyone I cannot make meetings for at least an hour after I start. My laptop is so slow when at home I start it up 2 hours before I need to use it.
Starts @ 41:45
Ends @ 42:26
Q32 - As we can no longer claim time to secure and lock away controlled drugs at the end of a shift as we cannot guarantee not being dispatched to a C2 call, please can we ensure crews are placed out of service 15 minutes before their end of shift to prevent such overtime being necessary and our legal obligations given adequate time.
Starts @ 42:44
Ends @ 43:19
Q33 - Are there plans for bank staff to receive iPads or have use of pool iPads? This is mainly for completing electronic PRFs. But I imagine agency/private providers can't do ePRF also. Is there an initiative to bring everyone onto one platform/electronic PRF capability?
Starts @ 43:21
Ends @ 44:06
Q34 - Can I just thank and show some support for the poor colleagues that work in support services and are subjected to the negative and unsupportive comments. You are all stars and the often silent majority are grateful for the fantastic work of all EEAST colleges in these interesting times. Please don't take the criticisms personally, ambulance staff are by nature pretty negative, we love you really.
Starts @ 44:09
Ends @ 45:17
Q35 - What are the benefits of EEAST covering the area it does these days? It seems the major benefits of the merger have/are now realised at a national level (call handling, supply chain, vehicles, etc).
Starts @ 45:26
Ends @ 47:19
Q36 - Can we have shorts in the summer with the new uniform provider? I struggled in the heat!
Starts @ 47:20
Ends @ 47:49
Q37 - How have EEAST mitigated RRG entering into administration?
Starts @ 47:53
Ends @ 48:36
Q38 - Rumour has it Blue flu will be taken on strike day.
Starts @ 48:39
Ends @ 49:46
Q39 - Do we still produce survival-to-discharge letters for staff involved in such incidents? They were really motivating to receive, yet I haven’t received one for a long time despite having good cardiac arrest outcomes.
Starts @ 49:47
Ends @ 50:19
Q40 – Can I also offer a positive message of thanks to AGM, LOM’s and Halos in the Southwest for their concerted efforts to get crews off as near to on time as possible. There will always be days when all the dominoes fall over, but my personal experience is that I am now not late off every shift.
Starts @ 50:20
Ends @ 51:02
Q41 - If we get shorts, can they be issued with fake tan please?
Starts @ 51:04
Ends @ 51:19
Q42 – With regards to shorts in heat waves - I worked in Gibraltar in 40-degree heat as part of their ambulance service - We actually trialled shorts. They were rapidly scrapped following cuts to knees/legs after scrabbling around at RTCs. I won't mention the impact of blood and vomit on uncovered legs!
Starts @ 51:22
Ends @ 51:48
Q43 - Several people I know have recently submitted a Greatix however, none have had any acknowledgement and the recipients have also not heard anything, do you know why this may be?
Starts @ 52:18
Ends @ 53:02
Additional information from Samm Dodd - We will be having a meeting to review next week, and I'll mention this.
Q44 - Tom, do we have an idea when we will be able to access ICB Shared Care Records from our iPads? This is impacting our delivery of care.
Starts @ 53:04
Ends @ 53:41
Q45 - You said the Trust is considering rostered training time, in this case will you consider reintroducing intubation for paramedics? Some Trusts like Wales seem to be supporting staff to retain and safely practice this skill for patients who need it.
Starts @ 53:43
Ends @ 54:18
Close from Tom
Starts @ 54:41
Ends @ 55:18
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 12th December 2022