MSP welcomes ambulance deal
Published 20 Jan 2012 08:40
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Local SNP MSP Adam Ingram has welcomed the statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon MSP on changes to the working hours of ambulance staff to address the issue of call outs during rest breaks.
In new plans, which have been agreed by unions, staff will move to a 37.5 hour paid week inclusive of rest periods.
Currently, staff are rostered for 40 hours per week, paid for 37.5 hours and entitled to 2.5 hours of unpaid rest periods. As they will now be paid for all the hours they are on duty, staff will be required to attend emergency calls throughout their shift period.
To support the redesign of the service, an additional 150 front line staff will be hired.
Interim arrangements, which will be in place while the new working hours are implemented, have also been agreed.
Commenting on the statement Mr Ingram said: "I am pleased to say that a long term solution - that protects patient safety and also supports ambulance service staff - has been agreed.
"To support this deal the Scottish Government will invest an additional five million pounds per year in the Scottish Ambulance Service to create 150 new front line jobs. The investment will strengthen the clinical response to life-threatening emergencies as well as the performance of the Scottish Ambulance Service. For remote and rural areas it will support increased numbers of community paramedics able to work in and with communities.
"The agreement ensures that additional funding will be invested in the ambulance service, rather than in additional payments to existing ambulance staff.
"No individual staff member will gain financially when required to attend an emergency call during a rest period. I welcome a resolution that clearly demonstrates that the priority of ambulance staff is their patients, not their personal gain."
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