For a number of years, the Ambulance Stakeholder Group has been working closely with the Job Evaluation Group (JEG) Profile Group to develop a suite of emergency services profiles which reflect current practice in the Ambulance Service. This group works in partnership and is comprised of management side and trade union representatives. This consultation comprises of three focus areas:

• final consultation on patient transport services (PTS) driver profiles (band 2-3)
• consultation on minor changes to profiles within the ambulance suite (bands 4-7)
• consultation on proposed new profiles (band 7).

These proposals, can be downloaded in full at the bottom of this page from the link. It is important for members to have their say if you feel the outcomes are not fair or correct. This is being done via a consultation. This consultation will run until 8 September 2023. Comments received will be considered by Job Evaluation Group, and the necessary governance will be completed by the NHS Staff Council prior to publication. 

Please send through your comments to inverness.office@unison.co.uk by the 8th of September 2023.

What has happened?

As you are aware, the three trade unions have been in discussions regarding our rest breaks with SAS senior managers over a lengthy period - there has been no resolution. 

The latest meeting taking place on 22nd May 2023. Despite the trade unions highlighting that the current temporary process imposed on staff by SAS actually provided for a permanent solution, no agreement could be reached.

What are the next steps?

This being the case, the three unions advised SAS that they will now go to their respective memberships to carry out a consultative ballot on industrial action.  

• This means you will receive an email to your UNISON registered address, this will ask whether you want to take action, we must secure a clear majority in favour to proceed.

• If a majority vote in favour then we will move to a formal ballot on industrial action. [This must be carried out by post, due to laws set to try and weaken trade unions by the Conservative government.]

• We then need to achieve a return of 50% of total members with a majority of those voting being in favour. If we complete these steps then we have a legal mandate to strike for up to six months.

The lack of effectively managed rest periods impacts on the physical and mental health and well-being of the members of staff, this potentially increases risk to patient safety.

All unions are in agreement that the current situation cannot be allowed to continue, and meaningless discussions must end. We must do what we can to secure a positive outcome to this historical failure.

Please make sure that your contact details are up to date at: my.unison.org.uk

CARRY FORWARD OF ANNUAL LEAVE FROM 2022-23 TO 2023-24

1. During the COVID-19 pandemic, various measures were agreed to deal with untaken leave at the end of a given leave year. As we approach the end of the 2022-23 leave year, questions have been raised around whether any variation to the normal rules will be put in place for the transition to 2023-24.

2. Following discussions via the Secretariat, the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee would firstly wish to emphasise how important it is that staff take their full entitlement of annual leave within a given leave year, where this is possible. Leave allows time away from work for rest and recuperation and this is especially important where staff have been put under pressure during a challenging time in the NHS.

3. STAC have agreed that there will be a one year only variation for 2022-23. Staff and managers should in the first instance work together to agree how any remaining leave can be taken before 1 April 2023. The default position is that staff will use their annual leave within the leave year.

4. However, where service pressures make it impossible for the entirety of a staff member’s leave to be taken, the usual rules limiting carry forward of annual leave to 5 days can be relaxed to ensure that staff do not lose any annual leave through no fault of their own. Managers should however prioritise making sure that each member of staff has taken at least the statutory minimum of 28 days before the end of the current leave year.

5. For those members of staff who have been unable to take their full entitlement, they should be given preferential consideration in being given annual leave in 2023-24 and the expectation would be that all untaken annual leave from 2022-23 should be taken by 30 June 2023. Boards should ensure that both their Staff Governance Committee and Area Partnership Forum continue to monitor the situation.

6. Carrying forward annual leave should be seen as the exception rather than the rule and only considered when it proves impossible for staff to take their whole leave entitlement. The intention will be to move back to normal provisions in future years so staff and managers are reminded that any leave carried forward into 2023-24 should be taken in 2023-24 as well as that year’s entitlement.

The Scottish government’s have made a pay offer to NHS workers for the financial year starting in April 2023. As always it’s down to UNISON’s health worker members to decide whether to accept this offer. UNISON ballot will open on Wednesday 22 November

Read the full offer here: NHS Pay 2023/24 - UNISON Scotland (unison-scotland.org)

UNISON Scottish Ambulance Service Branch AGM

 

Our AGM will take place on 10.00 am, Friday 24 February 2023 at 10.00 at Radisson Blu, 80 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TH.

 

All members are invited to attend, if you can make it along, please let me know in order I can arrange refreshments. Any items for inclusion in the agenda should be sent to :

 

Steven Gilroy

Branch Secretary

Scottish Ambulance Branch

UNISON

Highland Area Resource Centre

53 Shore Street

Inverness

IV1 1NF

 

And must be received no later than 12 noon on Monday 6 February 2023.

 

DRAFT AGENDA

 

(1)                   Welcome

(2)                   Branch Update – Steven Gilroy

(3)                   Guest Speaker – Graeme Ferguson, Deputy Director of Workforce

(4)                   Financial Report – Angela Kay

(5)                 Health & Safety Report – Aileen McLaren

(6)                   Education – Richard Proctor

(7)                 Election of the following Office Bearers:

 

                        (a) Chair                                                       (b) Vice Chair

                        (c) Communication Officer                           (d) Treasurer

                        (e) Equality Officer                                       (f) Health and Safety Officer

                        (g) Welfare Officer                                       (h) Education Officer

                        (i)   Senior Stewards (3)                               (j) Labour Link Officer

                        (k) Recruitment Officer

                     

 

(8)                  Confirmation of Stewards                            

 

(9)                  Motions

                         One – Scottish Ambulance Branch Constitution & Rules

 

(10)                 Any Other Business

 

 

If you are interested in becoming involved in your trade union, please drop me a line at steven.gilroy@nhs.scot