Joel Byers is on Holiday from 4th July for 2 weeks.

Any issues should be directed to Brian Dodds, Michael Hulme or your local Unison representative

PTS Drivers

Ensure you have the correct licence for the weight of veichle you are driving. Some of the new PTS vehicles are heavier and require an upgrade on the standard driving licence. Unison and NEAS management are aware of this issue.

Attention All Staff

Meal Break Agreement

PTS and A&E Crews

It has come to the attention of Unison that staff are being told by management to carry food on Vehicles and to have their meal break away from their home station.

There is NO agreement for this to be done and is in BREECH of the current meal break agreement negotiated by the union on behalf of NEAS staff.

Food is NOT to be carried on ambulances (Except the 3 agreed vehicles) and management cannot force staff to have their meal break away from their base station.

This situation being closely monitored and if id does not cease forthwith an emergency branch meeting will be convened to consider an appropriate response by NEAS Unison.

Should any member of staff be required by management to carry food on a vehicle and have their meal break away from base station this must be reported immediately to your Unison representative.

 Paramedics.

All Paramedics need to be aware that under HPC advice, assuming they are the highest qualified clinician on the crew, the HPC deem them responsible for the patients welfare at all times, regardless of wether thay are driving or attending.

Union advises that where Paramedics are crewed with a junior clinician, the Paramedic accompanies the patient in the back of the vehicle.

Should anything happen with the patient, it’s your registration, it’s your career, the HPC will hold you to account.

  Split Crews.

Unison has agreed that where 2 qualified and 2 unqualified staff have been rotated together, that the qualified crew will split and each team up with an unqualified member of staff. However the Qualified staff should remain at their designated station, with the unqualified person travelling. This is the agreement with Unison. Qualified members of staff should NOT be asked to operate from a different location.