{"id":1306,"date":"2013-07-02T17:00:09","date_gmt":"2013-07-02T16:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bsb.lasunison.com\/?p=1306"},"modified":"2013-07-02T21:42:59","modified_gmt":"2013-07-02T20:42:59","slug":"have-a-break-have-a-mish-mash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ericsblog.lasunison.com\/?p=1306","title":{"rendered":"Have A Break – Have A Mish-Mash!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Agenda for Change (AfC)\u00c2\u00a0is nearly ten years old and here we are, like most other Ambulance Services, still trying to sort out Rest Breaks for operational staff. <\/strong><\/p>\n

We can’t even decide if it is a rest break or a meal break!\u00c2\u00a0Woe betide staff\u00c2\u00a0resting on a meal break or eating on a rest break!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Rest\/Meal Break provisions in all Ambulance Services are a mish-mash!<\/strong><\/p>\n

It needn’t be like that if someone would only make the sensible decision to make all\u00c2\u00a0the rest\/meal break paid, and not unpaid.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In other words, change the wording of Section 10.1\u00c2\u00a0in the AfC National Handbook from ‘37.5 hours a week ‘excluding’<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0meal breaks’,(<\/em>note it says meal break and not rest break)<\/em>\u00c2\u00a0to ‘37.5 hours a week ‘including’\u00c2\u00a0meal breaks’.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Throw out the ex<\/em> and put in the in<\/em>!. Great slogan\u00c2\u00a0for our next demonstration!: “Throw out the Ex and put in the In! Throw out the Ex and put in the In!”<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is that one word that is causing all the problems. It is that one word that is\u00c2\u00a0actually the barrier, most of the time, that prevents staff having a break, and it is that one word that causes the problems in cover which results in bad press.\u00c2\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Unpaid rest\/meal breaks\u00c2\u00a0may have been\u00c2\u00a0designed to give Services more freedoms but, in reality, they have fenced them in.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That decision will have to be made at a national level by NHS Employers. But, while they contemplate their\u00c2\u00a0navels (which is called Omphaloskepsis by the way!), twiddle their thumbs and fiddle while Rome (or dinner) burns, we are left at local and regional level with a mess.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It is about having control in a positive way. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Our current rest\/meal break agreement isn’t perfect by any means, but is\u00c2\u00a0what being proposed\u00c2\u00a0an improvement? <\/strong><\/p>\n

Is justifying having ‘food on the hoof’ by pedantically splitting hairs over rest break v meal break an improvement?<\/strong><\/p>\n