Ironically, February, the month of Valentine and love, is also the month that most, if not all, Ambulance Services struggle, and because of that of course, staff struggle.
I have never hidden the fact that, apart from a few very rare episodes, I have always loved working within the London Ambulance Service.
I love the job, I love the people, I love what we do and I love what we mean to Londoners.
But, contrary to the old saying, in this case love is not blind!
Love of the job can only get you so far.
What is that other saying:
‘When poverty walks through the door, love flies out the window!’
Well, a lot of love has flew out of a lot of LAS windows according to the recent results of the National NHS Staff Survey.
It is more like ‘When austerity, neoliberalism, cuts and aggressive change walks through the door -Â love, trust and job satisfaction flies out the window!’
I have to admit, I’ve never taken results of surveys too seriously in the past. They are a snapshot, a freeze-frame of a particular time, and express feelings of people at that time, on that day.
They are never fully representative either. Turnout in surveys are never high and, of course, some people always complete surveys and some people never complete them.
But……
In all the years that I have read the results (good and bad)Â of London Ambulance Staff Surveys with a huge pinch of salt, I have never, ever, read one as bad as the current LAS NHS Staff Survey!
To say it paints a bleak picture doesn’t do it justice. No amount of salt, PR or double-speak will turn this into anything other than it is.
At that moment staff completed the survey, the majority felt that London Ambulance was the worst Service, employer and organisation to work in, to work for and to represent.
According to the survey results I work for one of the worst Ambulance Services in the UK!
Surely that can’t be true can it?
Outsiders are sure to ask the ‘Manchester United Question’!
Who is to blame?
The Manager? The Players? The Supporters?
Is it the worst Ambulance Service, the worst managed Ambulance Service or the worst performing Ambulance Service?
We have had a lot of new Directors appointed at a very senior level and in a short period of time.
The perception within the ranks was that a few of the good old, experienced, guard were brushed aside and others jumped before they were pushed. Their experience was lost for ever.
Whether that is right or wrong, the fact is that it created uncertainty and suspicion. Uncertainty and suspicion which will still take a lot of work to overcome.
It never helps either that the players think the new manager and coaching staff blame them for everything going wrong.
You can’t help running off-side or conceding goals when a lot of the coaching staff are still trying to figure out what colour the kit is!
And to stretch the analogy a little bit further (apologies to none football followers!) it doesn’t help if there is an attempt to marginalise and ignore the players union at a time of great turmoil.
That mistake has been jointly rectified.
Proper partnership working will be needed to overcome the many problems and challenges we face within the NHS at this time.
Problems and challenges, let us not forget, thrust on us by a vindictive, divisive, anti Public Sector Coalition, who use the myth of austerity as a shield to hide their real hatred of collaboration and community.
They are the real enemy. Unfortunately, there is never a question in the survey about them and their politics & policies.
The results of this survey need putting right. A lot of the issues raised are already being discussed but management, staff and unions need to remember that the London Ambulance Service is in the Champions League, not the Conference.
Management and Unions both have a duty to fix this. We all should take responsibility to put things right. Â
I don’t feel as if I work for the worst Ambulance Service.
The London Ambulance Service has a proud history. A history made by lots of good people. A history that should be respected and listened to.
The London Ambulance Service was not born last year.
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Information on all issues can be found elsewhere on our website.
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Eric Roberts
Branch Secretary.
