EMAS rota review – UNISON update and next steps (including member survey)

EMAS rota review – UNISON update and next steps (including member survey)

Dear colleague,

UNISON has been working intensively with EMAS to resolve outstanding issues arising from the implementation of the new rotas, following the Trust’s rota review process (which usually takes place around every five years).

A positive outcome already secured: Lincolnshire meal breaks

Following discussions with senior management and conclusive evidence presented by UNISON and GMB following a survey, EMAS has confirmed that A&E staff in Lincolnshire will remain on a 30-minute meal break. UNISON welcomed this outcome because it supports our members choice,demonstrates a culture of listening to evidence based staff concerns and addresses a key concern raised with us.

The main unresolved issue: FRVs and operational implementation of rota’s

We remain very concerned about the proposal to reduce/remove FRVs and transfer staff to dual-crewed ambulances (DCAs). UNISON’s position is that this may look beneficial “on paper” in terms of resource allocation, but it risks failing to improve real-world response performance if the underlying operational handover delays are not addressed and fleet capacities. This has been a particular problem with ambulances queuing outside hospitals awaiting patient handover. If DCAs are not able to clear and return to service promptly, simply changing vehicle mix from FRV’s to DCA will not deliver the improvements members and the public need. We will continue to press EMAS to address the actual causes of lost capacity and to evidence how proposed changes will improve outcomes in practice, not just in modelling.

UNISON next steps: the Branch 4-point plan

Your UNISON Branch Committee met on 23rd Jan and have agreed the following four-point plan.

1. Survey all A&E members on the implementation of the rota changes to gather feedback on the process and the strength of feeling regarding the FRV changes.

2. Meet individual Divisional Directors to address division-specific concerns and ensure issues are not being missed locally.

3. Meet with Richard Henderson and his team to review the wider process, address concerns, and agree a clear escalation route where teams believe rotas are not as expected, have been changed, or are not fair and balanced.

4. Continue our campaign highlighting members’ objections to the FRV changes.

The Branch has also agreed that we may need to convene an emergency Branch Committee meeting to consider the findings and the next steps.

Member survey – your input will help to shape our next moves

We will be issuing a member survey via SMS and email to capture your experiences of the rota process, the quality of communication, the impact on you, and the strength of feeling regarding the FRV changes. Please take a few minutes to complete it when you receive it. this is essential evidence for our meetings with Divisional Directors and senior leadership, and it will directly shape UNISON’s position on next steps.

Our commitment

UNISON will continue to take a proactive, solutions focused approach to resolve the root cause of issues. We will also be firm in challenging changes that do not reflect operational reality or that disadvantage members.

We will keep you updated as the survey results and divisional meetings progress.