The Skills Pledge About to sign Our preparations for signing in September

1
The Skills Pledge About to signOur
preparations for signing in September

• Esther Corby
• Learning Development Manager
• Keith Underwood
• Lifelong Learning Coordinator

2
OVERVIEW OF EMAS
Patient Transport Service provide 5,000 journeys
per day

Approx 6,425 square miles
4.6 million people
3000 staff 70 sites Annual budget of 125
million
500,000 emergency calls per year
Figures correct as at March 2007
3
OVERVIEW OF EMAS
How EMAS is made up
The services we provide are supported by

• Fleet Maintenance
• Human Resources
• Finance
• ICT
• Risk, Health and Safety
• Community Relations
• Business Development

• AE Control, Emergency Planning
• PTS Planning, Control Stats
• Organisational Learning
• Clinical Governance
• Patient Advice and Liaison Service

4
In order to sign the Pledge we need to

• Find out the employee qualifications profile of
  EMAS
• Discover more about the mechanics of signing the
  pledge
• Engage with the Trade Unions for support for
  workforce development
• Form an action plan to describe our commitment to
  the pledge

5
Finding out more about the employee
qualifications of EMAS

• With support from the Public Sector Compact we
  were able to establish a robust estimate of the
  profile within Lincolnshire.

6
Finding out more about the employee
qualifications of EMAS
7
Finding out more about the employee
qualifications of EMAS

• This analysis has suggested that our own pledge
  should address the level 2 issue but also a
  commitment to workforce development for employees
  qualified to levels 2, 3,4 and higher.
• Also we would like to commit to SfL support for
  employees with basic skills issues.

8
In preparing for the pledge we are mapping our
progress against the 5 stages of the pledge -
Education Committee/Board - JIF- Skills for
Health Lead (jointly funded)
9
Engaging with the Trade Unions to support
workforce development

• Trade Unions have very good links with EMAS
• Through partnership agreements
• Through a Joint consultation committee
• Through Divisional partnership meetings

10
Importance of Union Learner Reps within the
workforce

• Ability to identify with the workforce
• Raise the profile of Lifelong Learning
• Link between the workforce and the education team
• Offer confidential support
• Ensure equality of access to quality learning
• To support EMAS and to work in partnership in
  creating and maintaining a learning environment
  free from discrimination

11
EMAS the Past

• Dead mans shoes
• No non-clinical educational support
• No support in career progression
• No career pathway within the NHS
• Agenda for change
• Mergence of 3 ambulance trust
• Low staff moral

12
EMAS the Present

• Reconfiguration of EMAS with Lincolnshire and
  Northants Ambulance services
• Low staff moral
• Agenda for change
• Government targets (call connect)
• Inception of a education and development team
• Introduction of union learner reps into the
  workforce

13
The Present (continued)

• Partnership working
• Test the Company Pilot (Lincoln Div)
• Set up of a working partnership equality in
  education group
• Commitment to the Skills Pledge
• Support in career development
• Career progression within the NHS

14
Forming an Action Plan to describe our commitment
to the pledge

• As yet we have not reached this stage in our
  preparations
• Our action plan is likely to include (i) a
  commitment to all employees reaching level 2 by
  2010 (ii) support for employees with basic
  skills issues and (iii) training for employees
  qualified at levels 2,3 and 4

15
The Skills Pledge About to signOur
preparations for signing in September

• Esther Corby
• Learning Development Manager
• Keith Underwood
• Lifelong Learning Coordinator
• Unison EMAS Branch
• Questions ??