Central and West Ambulance Branch 11354

Welcome to our third branch newsletter, in

this issue we hope to bring you all up to date on

information relating to the Branch, and take this

opportunity to inform you who the elected

Branch Officers are for 2010-2011 after the

Branch AGM on 26th February 2010.

We would also like to inform you of issues that

we have been involved with over the past few

months on your behalf, and give you an insight

into some of the meetings we have attended

both nationally and regionally.

We would encourage all members to make sure

that their details held on the Unison

Membership database (RMS) are up to date and

correct, we would also encourage you to

include such information as a current email

address and telephone number which makes it

easier for our branch officers to send

information relevant to our branch or the Welsh

Ambulance Service to you, please use the

number or email address on the card above to

check your details and update them if

necessary.

New Vehicles.

New Mercedes Voyager 515’s on the production

line at Wilker Ireland. These vehicles will be

delivered shortly and are due to replace the

Mercedes J-cab’s currently in use in WAST.

NEWSLETTER Issue Number: 3

Information from Your Branch May 2010

Central and West Ambulance Branch 11354

Trainee EMT & Paramedic Dispute

The Trainee EMT & Paramedic Grievance was

referred to the Welsh Partnership Forum for

clarification surrounding progressional pay, the

joint statement below has been issued on the

Trust web site, further work is now being

undertaken by your Trade Union

representatives and the WAST HR department

to agree how we move this forward, we shall

keep all those involved up to date on the

progress made.

Central and West Ambulance Branch 11354

Branch AGM.

Below is a list of Branch Officers who were

elected at the Branch AGM on 26th February

2010.

AGM

Elected Positions

TREASURER

PHIL IP GARROD

NATIONAL INFECTION

DAMON TURNER

EDUCATION OFFICER

PHILIP GARROD

REGIONAL INFECTION

DAMON TURNER

HEALTH & SAFETY OFFICER

PAUL ELLERY

CLINICAL GOVERNANCE

KATH CHARTERS

COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

IAN JAMES

UNIFORM

PAUL ELLERY

IAN JAMES

LEARNING REP

PHILIP GARROD

IAN JAMES

VEHICLE & CLINICAL EQUIPMENT

CHRIS RICHARDS

PHILIP GARROD

PCS – PAUL ELLERY

PETER MACKAY dep

AGM

Elected Positions

WELFARE OFFICER

PHILIP GARROD

PETER MACKAY

REGIONAL COUNCIL OFFICER

MICHAEL JOSE

Delegates

DAMON TURNER

CHRIS RICHARDS

EQUALITY OFFICER

PHILIP GARROD

NATIONAL DELEGATE CONFERENCE

PHIL GARROD

MICHAEL JOSE

DAMON TURNER

+ VISITORS

MEMBERSHIP OFFICER

IAN JAMES

PHILIP GARROD

RETIRED MEMBERS OFFICER

PHILIP GARROD

AGM

Elected Positions

L.G.B.T OFFICER

PHILIP GARROD

MICHAEL JOSE

WELFARE COMMITTEE

CHRIS RICHARDS

IAN JAMES

DAMON TURNER

MICHAEL JOSE

PETER MCKAY

PHIL GARROD

PAUL ELLERY

INTERNATIONAL OFFICER

MICHAEL JOSE

DAMON TURNER

NATIONAL SECTOR

MICHAEL JOSE

CHRIS RICHARDS

DAMON TURNER

YOUNG MEMBERS OFFICER

IAN JAMES

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

CHRIS RICHARDS

MICHAEL JOSE

DAMON TURNER

IAN JAMES

PHIL GARROD

Branch Constitution: No Amendments for 2010-2011

Branch Expenses: Amendments for 2010-2011 Mileage Expenses up from 35p per mile to

40p per mile in line with Unison National.

List of Elected & Accredited Branch Officials for 2010-2011.

MICHAEL JOSE (Branch Secretary)

CHRIS RICHARDS (Branch Chair)

DAMON TURNER (Vice Chair & Assistant Branch Secretary)

IAN JAMES (Assistant Branch Secretary & Learning Rep)

PHILIP GARROD (Treasurer) & Learning Rep)

PAUL ELLERY (Health & Safety Officer)

PETER MACKAY (Welfare Officer)

ALAN ROBERTS (ICT & NHSDW Rep)

Contact details in your UNISON Diary.

Elected officials remain in post until the next

AGM in 2011, it’s important that members use

the AGM to elect branch officers to the

positions on an annual basis.

Central and West Ambulance Branch 11354

CROSSWORD Competition:

Have a go at our

crossword, first

correctly completed

crossword returned

to the address at the

bottom of the

newsletter wins £25,

the winner along

with the answers will

be published in the

next issue.

NJCC: National Joint Consultative Committee.

1. Efficiency Review: Alan Murray & Tim

Woodhead; 2.9 million debt deferred

for a year ⅓ of debt written off each

year if Trusts performance is

maintained. Other LHB’s in Wales have

had their debts written off. Financial

Forecast is that the Trust will break

even.

2. PCS: Julie Winspear; Modernisation

Plan for PCS undertaken. Wyn Griffiths

Review & pilot sights are separate to

the PCS Modernisation Review. Finance

for PCS under the Griffiths Review miss-

quoted as coming from WAG, this is not

true and is financed by LHB’s. Unison

Head of Health suggests that someone

from the Trust need’s to “Kick Back” to

WAG the proposals outlined in the

Griffiths review. No real allies from

former Trust’s in the provision of

services to the new LHB’s. The Trust is

not forthcoming with performance

figures. Mike Cassidy has taken over as

head of PCS across Wales.

3. Delivering Care in Wales: Alan Murray;

Modernisation of unscheduled care due

by end of February key actions as part

of document. 1.9 million Funded by

LHB’s. Saving 1000 lives campaign has

good support from 1st minister & Paul

Williams. Not clear in the document on

efficiency information regarding delays

due to A&E Departments. Staff Welfare

to be included in the document with the

Central and West Ambulance Branch 11354 inference on staff training & the

investment in staff.

4. 1000 Lives campaign: Sara Jones; Board

paper on the internet. Initially the

scheme had an 18 month life span this

has now been increased by WAG to 5

years.

5. KSF &PDR’s: Alan Murray; Operational

staff suffering from the lack of time to

carry out PDR’s & facilitate KSF time.

Inconsistencies across the Trust with

some staff being told they owe hours

back when duties undertaken for PDR

or KSF training or compliance, staff-side

requested a fair and consistent

approach. Plans in progress to address

this issue. CTL’s have protected time

but again this is not consistent across

the trust, meeting with RD’s in 6 weeks

time to address this and the PDR & KSF

issue.

6. Workforce Policies & Procedures WG:

James Moore & Kath Charters;

Resource Centre Procedure: Wide

spread support for minor changes to

the document comments sent to Steve

Prior Alan Murray to consult otherwise

Document agreed

7. Vehicle Daily Inspection: Document

endorsed with amendment agreed, all

parties to get a legal opinion from

respective Trade Unions reference

vehicle movements by staff who have

not done a 1st check at start of shift, i.e.

If asked to take a vehicle over at scene

from another crew, predominantly the

RRV.

8. Uniform: Joint notice previously agreed

will be issued and finance position

shared with staff-side, consultative

ballot of control staff regard to uniform

issue.

9. Management Review: Back room staff

functions reviewed concern that these

sorts of structure reviews are not part

of a management review. Higher paid

staff affected and not the lower paid,

finance department used as example,

the statement was challenged by Kath

Charters who has been contacted by

staff affected by the changes.

10. Joint Partnership Development

Update: Discussions with Stewart Rouse

ongoing which will make immediate

impact on staff relations with

management, Staff-side Secretary and

Chair being put under pressure to make

decisions on behalf of staff-side without

staff-side involvement by some

managers which is not their role.

11. Estates Project: Outline business plan

for make ready station for Wrexham

alongside the Fire Service, not fully

accepted as yet further work ongoing

with a deadline for September. Process

Map requested at previous NJCC a

rough draft has only been sent to

Bleddyn Roberts (Unite) but this is not

the agreed draft format at the last

NJCC. Land agreed but not secured

awaiting confirmation from WAG. David

Jones Morris and Alan Murray have

been in contact with local MP’s & AM’s

& local councillors reference the

proposal.

12. ISA: Update of actions; 2010 onwards;

action plan being worked on with

regard to new staff, discussions across

Wales ongoing. Discussions across

Wales NHS regarding payments for a

consistent approach.

Central and West Ambulance Branch 11354 13. Workforce Plan: Trust need to be more

radical with recruitment of staff

required. Document not clear for 2010-

2011 recruitment of EMS staff. NLIAH

Will fund C1-D1 for university based

staff; Open University will be used for

staff requiring flexible learning to reach

Paramedic Status. Paramedic courses

will be offered to existing EMT’s,

Nursing staff also considered under the

plan.

14. Retirement Fellowship: Pro Active

group in North, Trust to contact retired

staff over past 5 years, meetings April &

May.

As a member of the largest Union in the Welsh

Ambulance Service and the largest branch, have

you got something to offer the union, have you

considered becoming a steward within your

Station, Office or Department; Central & West

Ambulance Branch are currently looking for

stewards /representatives in the Ceredigion,

Powys, Carmarthenshire localities, and in the

Back Office areas in Headquarters and NHSDW.

If you work in one of these areas and would like

to talk to someone about getting involved in

YOUR Branch, please contact one of the current

Branch Officials in the list below, they will be

more than happy to talk to you.

You may not wish to be involved with the

branch as a steward but may be able to offer

the branch assistance in other areas such as ICT

skills, communication, Office publishing skills

etc. You could even become a postal

representative where information can be sent

to you if you were happy to place this

information on a Trade union Notice board

within your department, any constructive help

or assistance would be most welcome.

So go on give us a call!!!

Also posted at;

http://unisonwast.wordpress.com

Branch Officials Contact Details.

Chris Richards; Branch Chair, .............07791347804

Michael Jose; Branch Secretary, .........07974201499

Philip Garrod; Branch Treasurer,....... .07895450343

Ian James; Assist. Branch Secretary,.. .07792145546

Damon Turner; Assist. Branch Chair, ..07974201479

Peter MacKay; Welfare Officer, .........07940430299

Paul Ellery; Health & Safety, ..............07814368816

Address for crossword competition:

Chris Richards UNISON Branch Chair Pembroke Dock Ambulance Station Kingswood Industrial Estate London Road Pembroke Dock Dyfed SA724RS

*Please include your name and address and membership number with your completed crossword entry.