enforced paramedics meal breaks

[Spark123]

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=361310
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=346077
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=342963

p.s. the 100+ square miles was a conservative estimate on my part for which if I am wrong I apologize, I believe them to primarily cover the area from Millom to Muncaster and across to Duddon Bridge and cover neighboring areas when they are on call out.

 

[paulbrown]

According to the reading, the ambulance service say they are only complying with EU working time directives.

Awkward question I know, but do you suspect this is an excuse to cover cost saving measures or are they genuinely effected by EU red tape?

 

[Spark123]

According to the reading, the ambulance service say they are only complying with EU working time directives.

Awkward question I know, but do you suspect this is an excuse to cover cost saving measures or are they genuinely effected by EU red tape?

It is imo a cost cutting exercise, it is inexcusable to leave an area without any cover whatsoever because of red tape, if they have to comply with the eu legislation the management should arrange for alternative cover or have an arrangement that in an emergency the paramedics can have alternative arrangements for their compulsory break, even if it is voluntarily. The last people I would blame are the lads/lasses at the bottom of the ladder that are following orders, I blame the management for it, cost will at the end of the day almost certainly come into it.

 

[paulbrown]

You may be right spark123 about it being a cost saving move but are you directing the blame at the right people?

Just been reading another article about this which says Cumbria are only doing as directed from above.

The breaks aren't going to be scrapped.Its a national Department of Health requirement that all staff have a compulsory half hour break.

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=358884
Won't be the first time the ones at the top make decisions without considering the ramifications I'm afraid.

Personally I prefer to blame the EU and their silly rules, we seem too take on board the lot whereas other countries pick and choose.

 

[Spark123]

You may be right spark123 about it being a cost saving move but are you directing the blame at the right people?

I believe so, to manage the situation by enforcing a rule which causes a large isolated area to be in effect without cover and not doing enough to cover it in the meantime is in my book mis-management, the way I look at it EU law or not, they are the ones who are paid to manage and do something about the situation, wether they can ask the paramedics to voluntarily have a more flexible break is up to them but is one of their options.
It says Barrow & West Cumbria were to provide cover in the link which are, imo knowing the area, too far away to be effective and if available could leave their own areas without cover and obviously was not effective on this occasion.

 

[keyplayer]

I get very worked up here as you all know.

... fists stuffed in bleeding holes...

How often have you called them out??

 

[markie]

Getting back to the topic, i think they should get paid for dinner breaks and the rest, they are/ can be the diff between life and death. They should be paid alot more than what they get.

 

[paulbrown]

There must be more to this than we're being told though.

Is it cost saving, government instructions or EU red tape?

Obviously there are issues that urgently need resolving, but it sounds like they are all blaming each other.

Throwing money about is not always the answer though, in rural areas you probably need more flexibllity or good old fashioned give and take.

I doubt the modern, whiz kid style management, know much about that though.

 

[Spark123]

It certainly sounds like one of those daft situations that can be solved by the management talking to the paramedics to try and come to an amicable arrangement.

 

[Slogger]

ah i dont belive the hype

if the paramedic was worth his salt and he or she knew life was at risk then they could overide any meal break rules set in place

i know i would drop my sarnie if someone was about to die and i know most on here would

so they allowed someone to die to get a point accross >>>?? they should feel ashamed to allow that to happen or better yet prosecuted

 

[masona]

so they allowed someone to die to get a point accross >>>?? they should feel ashamed to allow that to happen or better yet prosecuted

100% agreed, they should've put themselves out to help then have a meeting with management & union when suitable time allow to find the solution to this problem.

 

[Spark123]

ah i dont belive the hype

if the paramedic was worth his salt and he or she knew life was at risk then they could overide any meal break rules set in place

i know i would drop my sarnie if someone was about to die and i know most on here would

so they allowed someone to die to get a point accross >>>?? they should feel ashamed to allow that to happen or better yet prosecuted

Aye, if they knew, but they were not told by the dispatcher, the dispatcher did not tell them because they were on their break and owing to the ruling. If the dispatcher had told them there was an emergency they would have stopped their break and gone, they are good paramedics and their goal is life preservation, and in my eyes and that of the locals the paramedics do not have any blame in what happened, more politics over-ruling common sense.

 

[Slogger]

then the dispatcher should be brought up on manslaughter charges

if that was a member of my familiy i would be looking to have a word with him/ her

 

[Spark123]

Why should the dispatcher be brought up for manslaughter? He/she was following orders from above, which is where I would lay the blame.

 

[Slogger]

come on wake up if the dispatcher knew this was an emergency then he or she should have broken all the rules and if he did know it was an emergency and IGNORED IT then he or she is guilty of murder not manslaughter


i am so tired of red tape i would never let someone die because of rules


WOULD U