A number of issues affecting our members were raised by members in Dorset and have been taken forward by representatives to the UNISON branch executive, and to management, in the hope that UNISON can work towards helping resolve the issues which are raising concern.

A meeting was held on 4th September in Lycthett Matravers, near Poole. It coincided with a barbecue provided by the branch for retired memebers and current members. There was a large array of food and drink provided, and the retired members enjoyed the chance to get together.

The meeting itself took place indoors. There was a relaxed feel to the meeting, which was punctuated by frequent visits to the barbecue. Despite a generally low turnout, there was a refreshingly strong representation from our PTS members, and a number of important issues were raised and discussed by those who were there. Such concerns included Meal Break arrangements for both PTS and A&E staff, PTS communication problems, the use of non-ramped vehicles and leave allocation for PTS staff.

As promised to our members, these issues were then taken to the Branch Executive, which met in Taunton the very next day. The issues were discussed with the executive members and  received a good show of interest and support.

The next stage was to take the concerns of our members to management. This was done as part of the Local Consultative Committee (LCC) meeting, which took place at East Division Headquarters on Friday 7th September. Issues passed on and discussed at the meeting included:

Meal Breaks: There is a very mixed viewpoint among union members on meal break arrangements, but one thing is clear: Staff are legally entitled to have a break, completed before the sixth hour of their shift. The meal break agreement in Dorset is a compromise, catering for a range of opinions, but the branch feel that the spirit of the agreement isn't being adhered to. We felt that our views on this matter were listened to and taken seriously by management. Various adjustments and amendments have been proposed by both Unison reps and control room management, but nothing has yet been agreed. The result of discussion on this immensely complicated issue resulted in the establishment of a working group to meet as a matter of urgency. The group will involve UNISON representatives, Control staff and senior management. UNISON will keep you informed of the outcome of these discussions.

PTS Meal Communication Problems: UNISON Representatives brought to management’s attention PTS staff concerns about not being able to contact control and the failures in the mobile phone system. They assured us that they are putting more staff into the control room and are establishing a new phone line, just for staff, which we are told should help alleviate this problem. Management also assured us that they are "pulling out all the stops" to get the PTS radio back up and running.

PTS Meal Breaks: We raised the concern with management that planning is an ongoing issue and stated that PTS crews must not have their right to a meal break compromised. In response we were told that they would look into this and try to improve the situation. As a branch would like to remind all PTS staff (and ACA's on urgent care Vehicles) that your meal break is unpaid. Therefore you are entitled to a full, uninterrupted break. This  break should be completed by the beginning of the 6^th hour of your shift. We ask you to report any instances of not getting such a break via the adverse incident reporting procedure and to bring them to the union’s attention.

Non-Ramped Vehicles: Vehicles without appropriate ramps have been somewhat pervasive in Dorset, and the vehicle replacement programme has not yet seen these vehicles withdrawn from service despite previous assurances. We reflected the increasing loss of patience among of our members, stating that the lifting and handling made necessary by such vehicles is considered an unsafe. It was explained to us that there had been unforeseen delays in the replacement programme elsewhere in the west of the trust. We were assured that these issues were being resolved, and that the non-ramped vehicles in Dorset would soon be replaced by Renault vehicles fitted with ramps. In the event of any further delay, the branch will take this matter back to the Health and Safety Executive.

Problems with Vehicle Safety check regime: There was discussion about the safety check procedure currently conducted on vehicles. Some issues on this subject were clarified by fleet management.  Concerns remain over the haphazard procedure for getting vehicles to their safety check. There is clearly an issue with the lack of properly equipped spare vehicles. The branch will fully support an audit of equipment throughout all stations in Dorset, with the assurance that this will help in the purchase and placement of equipment onto spare vehicles.

The LCC meeting was productive, lively and amicable. Our branch representatives came away with a positive feeling about it.

UNISON Chairman Alan Lofthouse said:

"We hope to be entering a period where consultation and working in partnership is taken seriously and works for both staff and patients. I would urge members to keep bringing us their concerns to us and we will try to do our hardest to resolve them".

There is encouraging scope for the concerns of our members to be addressed and resolved, and now hope that management will honour their commitment to working with us and communicating with us on such issues.

PLEASE NOTE: The above article does not represent official minutes of the LCC meeting. These will be made available in due course.