Ambulance shift changes create jobs

Changes to ambulance staff working hours will result in the creation of 150 new jobs in the Scottish service, the Health Secretary has told MSPs.

Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that a deal has been struck with Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) workers to resolve the issue of rest breaks.

Up until now, ambulance crews took unpaid rest breaks, during which the control room did not contact them.

But recent controversies - such as the death of Mandy Mathieson, 33, who had a cardiac arrest in Tomintoul, Moray, in 2010 - brought the policy into focus.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that a
new staffing deal has been struck with ambulance crews

An ambulance technician was on a meal break and did not attend the emergency even though he was stationed near her home.

Ms Sturgeon outlined details of the new deal, agreed by SAS management and trade unions earlier this week, when she delivered a statement to MSPs in Holyrood today.

She said: "I am pleased to say that a long term solution - that protects patient safety and also supports ambulance service staff - has been agreed."

However, Labour's health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie raised concerns that the deal may still have implications for patient safety, and called for an "urgent independent review" of the way emergency ambulance calls are categorised.

Under the new plans, staff will move to a 37.5-hour paid week inclusive of rest periods, and will be required to attend emergency calls throughout their shift period.

Previously staff were rostered for 40 hours per week, paid for 37.5 hours and entitled to 2.5 hours of unpaid rest periods. Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government would invest £5 million in providing 150 front-line jobs to support the changes.

HOLYROOD TO GET REFERENDUM POWERS

The Government will set out plans tomorrow to give Holyrood temporary powers for a legally binding referendum on Scottish independence as the row over the poll intensified.

Scottish Secretary Michael Moore will tell MPs the Coalition wants the vote to be held "sooner, rather than later" but he will not set a previously expected deadline of 18 months on the vote, Government sources confirmed tonight.

It follows warnings today by David Cameron that uncertainty about Scotland's future in the United Kingdom is having a damaging effect on its economy.

Chancellor George Osborne briefed the Cabinet this morning on the feedback he and the Prime Minister have received in private talks with major companies who said the prospect of a referendum on Scottish independence was having an impact on their decisions and may be deterring inward investment.

Mr Cameron insists the Government's plan would allow a "fair, legal and decisive" resolution to the uncertainty.

But his intervention was greeted with anger by the Scottish National Party administration in Edinburgh, which accused London of trying to interfere in a matter which should be settled north of the border.

SNP leader Alex Salmond is understood to favour a referendum in 2014 - possibly on the 700th anniversary of the battle of Bannockburn - and wants to retain control over the wording of the question on the ballot paper. He has not ruled out including a third "devo-max" option, which would see Scotland stay in the UK but gain more power over its own affairs.

Mr Cameron denied trying to "dictate" the terms of the referendum from Westminster, and insisted it will be for people in Scotland to decide whether they stay in the Union.

"I want the United Kingdom to stay together," the PM told Sky News. "It is a fantastically successful partnership. I think Scotland and England are better off in the United Kingdom.

"But we can't stand in the way of a part of the UK if it wants to ask the question 'Are we better off outside it?' We can't stand in the way of that, but what I think the Scottish people deserve is a fair, clear and decisive question.

"We have to have legal clarity over who is responsible for this decision. Is it the Westminster Parliament or is it the Scottish Parliament? We will be setting out the legal position and trying to find a way through."

The Scotland Act of 1998, which ushered in devolution, reserved constitutional matters for the Westminster Parliament, and it is thought that a referendum called by Holyrood could be open to legal challenge.

Advice received by ministers on the legal implications of a referendum will be published alongside the Government's proposals in the next few days.

Mr Cameron said: "We are not going to dictate on this. We have first of all got to resolve this legal uncertainty and then try to work with the Scottish Government and make sure there is a fair, clear and decisive outcome."

Scotland's Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon denounced the move as "a blatant attempt to interfere in the decision that is really one for the Scottish Government in terms of the timing of the referendum and for the Scottish people in terms of the outcome".

She added: "We were elected on the basis of our commitment to have a referendum in the second half of this parliamentary term. This is about Westminster seeking to interfere."

A spokesman for Mr Salmond said that any attempt by Westminster politicians to dictate the terms or format of the referendum would only fuel demands for independence.

"The more the UK Government interferes with this process, then the stronger support for independence will become, and we've seen that trend under way since the election," said the spokesman.

"The days of Westminster determining what happens in Scotland are over.

"We'll bring forward our proposals, we'll stick to what we said we would do in the election."

Mr Cameron warned that delay in resolving the independence issue was damaging to Scotland's economy.

"If Alex Salmond wants a referendum on independence, why do we wait until 2014?" he asked.

"This is very damaging for Scotland because all the time businesses are asking 'Is Scotland going to stay part of the UK? Are they going to stay together? Should I invest?'

"We are beginning to see companies asking those questions so I think it is rational to put to the Scottish people, would it be better to have a more fair and decisive question put earlier?"

Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont said: "We want the referendum to be held as quickly as possible and we want it to be run in Scotland."

If the Prime Minister's proposals "help there to be a quick, clear and decisive referendum result, we would welcome them", she added.

A spokesman for the Scotland Office said: "The statement will be about how the UK Government can facilitate a legal, fair and decisive referendum."


©AP

AMBULANCE STAFF REJECT BREAKS DEAL

Union members have rejected the latest deal to resolve a dispute over rest breaks for ambulance staff.

Currently, ambulance crews take unpaid rest breaks, during which the control room does not contact them.

But recent controversies - such as the death of Mandy Mathieson, 33, who had a cardiac arrest in Tomintoul, Moray, in 2010 - brought the policy into focus.

An ambulance technician was on a meal break and did not attend the emergency even though he was stationed near her home.

Last autumn, unions representing most ambulance staff in Scotland rejected a proposed deal for payment for working in rest breaks.

Union members have rejected the latest offer to reolve the dispute of break times

They were offered a lump-sum payment amounting to £4.80 per week to agree to be available during meal breaks and a payment of £100 on each occasion they are called out to respond to an emergency during an assigned meal break.

Emergency crews tested the proposals with a three-month trial period which started in October.

Union members were reballoted following the trial. Unison members have rejected the latest offer, with 65% of those returning a ballot voting against it.

Unison Scotland organiser David Forbes said: "This is fundamentally an issue of resourcing.

"Our members have been consistently telling us they need their uninterrupted rest breaks.

"They need to be able to switch off for a part of the day in order to deliver the best possible service for patients.

"We will be meeting with the employer on Monday and urging them to ensure that the ambulance service is sufficiently resourced to deliver the excellent service patients require and expect whilst allowing for decent treatment of staff."

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "A very good offer was made to staff and it is disappointing that this has been rejected.

"This is disappointing"

"We will meet with staff representatives on Monday to continue the dialogue in order to find a resolution."

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "This is disappointing - I have been very clear that I want this situation to be resolved as soon as possible.

"I am encouraged that a further meeting is due to take place on Monday and will continue to oversee all necessary action to ensure management and unions address this issue as a matter of urgency.

"I can confirm that the interim arrangements, which allow for SAS emergency tier staff to be disturbed during their rest break in the event of a 'category a' call, will continue until a longer-term solution is found. This is the best way to ensure that patient safety is protected."

Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Conservative health spokesman, said: "It is ludicrous that the unions have rejected what was a fair and reasonable deal. This is blind self-interest and the general public will find it incredibly hard to understand why these workers are having tea breaks when people's lives are at stake.

"When someone is suffering from a serious injury or critical illness they cannot afford to wait to receive treatment, and yet these workers are insisting that they be allowed time to finish their meal break. This heartless attitude is costing lives and Nicola Sturgeon needs to get a grip on this issue and thrash out a deal to prevent any further tragedies.

"While the fantastic work of our emergency service staff is always appreciated, this dispute has been dragging on for far too long and needs to be resolved."


PA