RepsDirect No 146 - 2nd August 2002



From
Head of Health, Roger Spiller General Secretary, Roger Lyons

1 'Getting Ahead of the Curve' amicus - MSF Response

Below is the conclusion of the response of amicus - MSF to the discussion paper "Getting Ahead of the Curve - Action to strengthen the microbiology function in the prevention and control of infectious diseases" issued on 24 June 2002 to which responses were requested by 5 August 2002. Copies of which are available via www.doh.gov.uk/cmo/publications.htm

CONCLUSION

Amicus is therefore calling for a national implementation group to be established immediately to discuss this proposal and that the appropriate Trade Unions, including ourselves, should be represented on this. This should look at the mechanisms of how this transfer can be achieved whilst safeguarding public health. It should also look at how new networks can be established in the required timescale and the human resource implications for existing staff.

A full copy of the response will shortly be available on the Health Sector website at www.msfhealth.org

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2 Implications of the Working Time Directive

The Health Sector Office Research & Policy Officer, Colin Adkins, recently attended a two day conference called primarily to address the issue of compliance with the Working Time Directive and the implications for doctors. Report as follows:

The conference was also attended by the Department of Health, Workforce Development Confederations, the British Medical Association and Royal Colleges as well as other trade unions.

The first day tentatively set out the aims for the conference and acted as a sounding board for the viewpoints of the respective organisations. However, it was clear that underpinning the event was an understanding by the Department for a need to develop new enhanced roles for nurses, healthcare scientists and allied health professions in order to relieve work pressures on doctors. Secondary issues for consideration were the effective use of IT and building public acceptance for reconfiguration on the basis of healthcare networks in order to avoid Kidderminster style public opposition.

It was clear that the doctor organisations could be placed into three camps:

  • those which were progressive and genuinely seeking to embrace change;
  • a more pragmatic group that understood 'things' could not go on like they have in the past; and
  • those who were resistant or hostile to change and compliance could be addressed by training and employing more doctors.

The tone for the second day was set by two very productive presentations. The first was from a representative from the BMA Junior Doctors Committee outlining three imaginary cases detailing how enhanced roles for other healthcare staff could be developed. One case did not involve any input from doctors whatsoever. The second was a report on various pilots on developing new roles.

Both days had workshops. I focused on the workshops on developing roles and took a bullish attitude outlining:

  • the priority for amicus MSF was professional development for our members and if this helped doctors to comply with the WTD this was a positive by-product;
  • the new roles should be sustainable in their own right;
  • these roles should be developed by more organisations than the medical royal colleges;
  • there was recruitment and retention problems amongst many groups of health staff and this core work cannot be forgotten;
  • that we should take a holistic view on these developments and look at sections of work and seek enhanced roles from the top to bottom vertically and horizontally from left to right of any structure.

I was pleasantly surprised by the ready acceptance from many present to any proposal for change. Although many non-doctors present found their views subject to validation from a doctor.

The final report backs formed a basis of a programme of action. A Department of Health official was charged with producing guidance for implementation.

Whilst I believe the event was well-led and well run I retain residual concerns. These are:

  • in an increasingly devolved NHS (national health policies, PCTs, Shifting the Balance) how can progressive change be uniformly pursued;
  • how do we overcome local resistance from doctors who may be at odds with their national professional body or trade union;
  • how do we ensure that we are party to any discussions about change.

However, this represents a great opportunity for amicus MSF. Once again it highlights the need for enhanced professional capacity to compliment our trade union role in the NHS. We also need to map out to members how we can take advantage of this opportunity, whilst using the competency framework being introduced under Agenda for Change to better levels of remuneration for our members.

More immediately we need to draw a paper together from across amicus MSF professions and occupations detailing how these new roles can be achieved and what regulatory obstacles need to be removed. We can build on some of the work that we did in producing the pay claims for the most recent round of negotiations in Whitley.

A note seeking comments to produce such a paper will be issued in a future issue of Reps Direct.

We can then use this as a basis to start discussions with the Department of Health and Workforce Development Confederations.

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3 RCSLT Councillor for Service Management

Amicus MSF member, Liz Panton is standing for election as the RCSLT Councillor for Service Management. This role involves Chairing the RCSLT Management Board and liasing with amicus MSF SLT NAC. Liz was asked to stand by the Northern Region SLT Managers Group. The election was advertised in the July 15th RCSLT Bulletin. Liz has been an active member of the RCSLT and amicus MSF and would make an excellent candidate for this post.

Copies of her biographical details are available from Colin Adkins on request to Colin.Adkins@amicus-m.org

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4 Health Professions Council

Thank you for all comments regarding the HPC Consultation Document.

amicus MSF has written to the Secretary of State to highlight the concerns that you have raised. We will be preparing a submission to the consultation. In addition we are liasing with professional bodies on this campaign. We are in the process of preparing both electronic and more traditional campaign tools in order that members can voice their concerns.

More information will follow.

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5 National Association of Theatre Nurses

An Association agreement with the NATN has been launched. NATN have produced a recruitment leaflet which has been sent to all 8,000 NATN members. The benefits of the joint agreement are that all members of NATN will not only belong to their own professional organisation but will also be able to enjoy the benefits of belonging to amicus MSF, and in particular the Professional Indemnity Insurance policy that we hold for some groups of our members, including nurses.

NATN had recently lost their PII arrangement for their members and had been unable to negotiate an alternative policy at an affordable rate, leaving their members without this extra cover. NATN members regard access to a PII scheme as essential to their practice and are therefore likely to find the association agreement very attractive.

The subscription rate for joint members will be the sum total of both organisations rates. Application forms are available from NATN on 01423 856 562 or from amicus MSF by contacting Carol English on 020 7505 3265 or Carol.English@amicus-m.org

Our first joint member, Josephine Smith from Derbyshire said of the Association Agreement "I feel privileged to be the first joint member of the NATN and amicus MSF. I am a theatre nurse and feel if fulfils an important area of my working life by providing both clinical advice and trade union representation with the added security of Professional Indemnity Insurance, a necessity in today's changing climate of healthcare provision."

Further information about the new NATN/amicus MSF Association Agreement will be available in due course.

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