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London Ambulance Service Branch | ||
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Operational Ambulance Staff – Consultative Arrangements 2002
1. Accident and Emergency Staff: Arrangements and Facilities
1.1 Principles and Objectives 1.1.1 To ensure effective staff involvement and two-way communication between Management and staff through their representatives. 1.1.2 To devolve consultation to the lowest appropriate level, establishing the Station Committee as the key link for communication. 1.1.3 To provide for Sector based discussion, consideration and consultation on matters of Sector wide interest and determination. 1.1.4 These principles will be supported by ensuring reasonable time off to facilitate meaningful consultation.
1.2. Local Arrangements 1.2.1 The Accident and Emergency staff of each station, including satellites, will elect a representative from their number, who should be a shop steward of a Trade Union recognised for consultative purposes. 1.2.2 The elected representatives from each station within the group will constitute the staff side of a Station Complex Committee, which will meet the Station Officer on a monthly basis. 1.2.3 This Committee will deal with day to day matters relating to all aspects of the operational performance of the station, monitoring Service delivery and actively seeking improvement. The Committee is required to consider local matters relating to Service delivery and the quality of working life, including local absence and accident/incident rates and reviewing maintenance of local operational cover. 1.2.4 Other members may be co-opted to attend by agreement.
1.3. Sector Arrangements 1.3.1 The staff side members of the Station Complex Committee will nominate one of their number as Complex representative to attend the Sector Staff Committee (SSC). In those Sectors which include a Resource Centre a representative of these staff will be included on the SSC. 1.3.2 Annually, all station representatives will meet formally to elect a lead Sector representative, who must be one of the Complex representatives. 1.3.2 The SSC will normally meet every two months. The membership will comprise the Sector Management Team and the Station Complex representatives. Other members may be seconded by agreement. 1.3.3 The role, purpose and functions of the SSC are broadly similar to those outlined above, albeit the operational grouping in question is now extended to the Sector. 1.3.4 The SSC is also charged with the local implementation of Trust wide policy as it affects Accident and Emergency staff. 1.4 Role of the Sector Representative 1.4.1 The Sector representative will be the senior and lead representative, and will work closely with the Sector Commander. He/she will also represent the Sector on the Accident and Emergency Sub-committee of the Staff Council.
1.5 Trust Arrangements – Accident and Emergency Staff 1.5.1 Trust wide issues relating to Accident and Emergency staff and performance will be considered by the Accident and Emergency Committee, a Sub Committee of the Staff Council. Staff Side membership of the A/E Committees will consist of the seven Sector representatives, and a representative of the staff of Central Ambulance Control. 1.5.2 The Management Side of this Committee will consist of the Assistant Chief Ambulance Officers (Sector, Control Services and Operational Standards), a lead Sector Commander, the Senior Resourcing Officer and the A/E Human Resources Manager. 1.5.3 The Accident and Emergency Committee will consider Service delivery and improvements as well as matters of common interest to all operational A/E staff relating to working conditions. This may include matters of national policy or terms and conditions of employment.
1.6 The Staff Council 1.6.1 The LAS Staff Council is the consultative forum for joint consideration of matters of national or Trust wide interest or impact common to all staff groups. It receives reports from its constituent sub- committees, but may delegate its authority to determine issues affecting the relevant staff group to those sub-committees. 1.7 Facilities and Elections 1.7.1 All representatives will be afforded reasonable time off to undertake their role and facilitate attendance at local and corporate meetings. Requests for time off for this purpose will not be unreasonably denied. 1.7.2 The lead Sector Representative will be afforded half time release from operational duty. How this is organised is a matter for agreement between the Representative and the Sector Commander, but release when rostered to undertake night or weekend shifts will not normally be considered. 1.7.3 All representative levels are subject to annual elections, commencing at station level and confined to the relevant staff group. The programme and timetable for elections will be determined by the Joint Secretaries to the Staff Council. The Trade Union Side Chair and/or Assistant Secretary will be in attendance at those meetings called to elect Sector representatives. 1.7.4 Release for Sector and station representatives for Union duties is a matter, following local discussion as necessary, for the Station Officer. Whilst release will not be unreasonably denied, maintenance of cover is paramount. Should it prove impossible to reach agreement, the matter will be considered by the Sector Commander, who will consult the appropriate senior representative and HR Manager before reaching a decision. 1.7.5 All time off, including that of the lead Sector Representatives, whether for training or representative purposes, must be recorded and accounted for. 1.7.6 Reasonable facilities will be afforded to representatives, and will include access to a telephone and noticeboard. Resources such as accommodation, storage, sundries/stationery etc may also be considered if these may be reasonably provided. Office facilities, if available, will be limited to the lead Sector representatives. 1.7.7 Representatives will be afforded paid release to attend meetings of Station, Sector and other agreed Sub-Committees. The Staff Side of the relevant Committee may meet immediately prior to the joint meeting, and at other times by agreement. All representatives within the Sector will meet annually to elect the Sector representative, and at other times by agreement, but it is not necessary to meet before each joint meeting of the Sector Staff Committee.
2. Patient Transport Service Staff – Arrangements and Facilities 2.1 Principles and Objectives 2.1.1 To ensure effective staff involvement and two way communication between Management and staff through their elected representatives. 2.2.2 To devolve consultation to the lowest appropriate level. 2.2.3 To provide for local, contract based discussion, consideration and consultation on matters of significance to contract delivery, enabling and promoting local staff involvement in determining improved performance and meeting of targets. 2.2.4 These principles will be supported by ensuring reasonable time off to facilitate meaningful consultation. Requests for time off to discharge representative duties will not be unreasonably refused. 2.2 Structure 2.2.1. The staff group for consultative purposes will be for local determination, but in view of the need to ensure a forum for local discussion with management is likely to be aligned with the responsibilities of individual Account Managers. 2.2.2 PTS staff in each agreed grouping will elect from their number a representative, who should be a shop steward of a Trade Union recognised for consultative purposes. 2.2.3 The representative will be recognised as speaking for PTS staff within the grouping at meetings with the Account Manager. These meetings should be scheduled to occur at intervals of not less than one month. 2.2.4 These meetings will deal with all day to day matters relating to operational standards and performance in meeting the contract requirements, monitoring service delivery and actively seeking improvement. The meeting will in addition monitor local absence and accident rates, and seek improvements to cover and to the quality of working life. 2.2.5 The meeting will also be charged with interpretation and implementation of Trust Wide policy as it affects PTS staff.
2.3 Trust Arrangements – Patient Transport Service Staff 2.3.1 PTS staff will elect to the PTS Committee four PTS staff, with one representing each agreed contract grouping. There will also be a seat for a representative of PTS Control staff. 2.3.2 Trust wide issues relating to Patient Transport Service staff and performance will be considered by the PTS Committee, along with matters of common interest to all operational PTS staff relating to general working arrangements. 2.3.3. The Management element of the Committee will comprise the Director of PTS, the two Business Managers and the PTS Human Resources Manager. 2.3.4 Other members may be co-opted to the Committee by agreement. 2.3.5 The PTS Committee is also charged with consideration of national policy or terms and conditions as they affect PTS staff of the Trust. 2.3.6 Of the ten seats on the Staff Side of the Staff Council allocated to representatives of ambulance staff, it is anticipated that at least one will be assigned to PTS representatives. It is incumbent upon the Staff Side of the Staff Council to ensure that the PTS Sub-Committee is represented.
ASC/August 2002/tc |