1978 Ambulance Agreement

AMBULANCE DRIVERS

PRODUCTIVITY/FLEXIBILITY MEASURES

The terms of this agreement which applies to all whole time Ambulance Drivers employed by health boards (other than those employed in the former Dublin Health Authority) were proposed following negotiations between the Local Government Staff Negotiations Board representing the health boards and the Irish Transport and General Workers Union, the Workers' Union of Ireland and the Federation of Rural Workers representing Ambulance Drivers.

1.         Purpose of the Agreement

The primary objective of the agreement is to increase the effectiveness and the efficiency of the Ambulance Service through the implementation of productivity flexibility measures which have been agreed between the parties and incorporated into the body of this agreement.

In return for -the implementation of, those measures provision is made for the introduction of a uniform pay scale for Ambulance Drivers and revised- means of payment in respect of duties performed outside of the basic forty-hour working week.

This agreement entirely supersedes the National Ambulance Drivers

Agreement of 1972 and any subsequent agreements into by Individual health boards which involved variation of or were substitution for the 1972 Agreement.

2.         Scope of the Agreement

The agreement identifies the productivity/flexibility measure on which the revised pay structure is based.

3.         Duration of the Agreement 

This agreement shall come into effect from the date of ratification and shall remain in force until three months have elapsed after receipt of notice in writing by either party from the other of intention to terminate the agreement.  Any section of the agreement may be amended by mutual agreement of both parties.

4.         Productivity/Flexibility Measures

Savings under the measures detailed as follows form the basis for the pay structure incorporated in this agreement.

5.         Structural Measures

 (a)        Co- ordination of the Ambulance Service on a regional basis with the total elimination of country and other traditional boundaries to permit calls to be answered by the nearest available Ambulance.

(b)        Co-operation with the introduction and implementation of cross regional co-ordination of the Ambulance Service on a main route basis.

(c)        Co-operation with the linking and extension of stations for the provision of an Ambulance Service for enlarged catchment areas.

6.         Organisational Measures

(a)        Co-operation with the introduction and implementation by the health boards of such rosters which would require Ambulance Drivers to be on duty and/or on-call to meet the level of demand on the service.  Duty rosters will be constructed in accordance with the following agreed criteria;

(i)         The rostered working week of Ambulance Drivers will be over a seven day spread.

(ii)        A week is defined as -the period from midnight on Sunday to midnight on the following Sunday.

(iii)       "Duty" is defined as time when the Ambulance Driver is required to attend for work.

(iv)       "On-Call" is defined as time when the driver is required to maintain himself fit and ready for duty and to be available to accept and respond immediately to a call to attend for duty.

(v)        A duty period is defined as a continuous period at work unbroken except by a meal break which is not included as part of the duty period.

(vi)       No rostered duty period shall exceed 12 hours.

(vii)            No two rostered duty periods shall in the same day.

(viii)           A day is defined as the period from 12 midnight to 12 midnight.

(ix)              One day in each week shall be entirely free of rostered duty.

(x)        Shift Week: A shift week is defined as a week in which two or more duty periods commence earlier than 8.00 a.m. or later than 12.00 noon.  Where a week comprising only duty periods between 8.00 a.m. and 12.00 noon forms part of a recurring cycle of weeks the remainder of which consists of shift weeks it shall be regarded as a shift week.

(b)        Participation in the integration of ambulance and patient transport with Ambulance Drivers operating such types of patient transport vehicles as may be required for the provision of an efficient and effective service.

(c)        Transportation as required of patient-related materials e.g. Incubators, Bloods, Samples etc. provided they do not seriously inconvenience patients when also being conveyed.

7.         Manpower Resources

(a)        Rostering of annual leave with Ambulance Drivers taking two consecutive weeks annual leave on a rotational basis during the summer period.

(b)        Co-operation in -the utilisation by the health board of competent relief drivers to provide cover for annual leave, sick leave and other absences and reduction of on-call. Where available, a full-time Driver will have the option of relief duty at flat rate.

(c)        Agreement to flexibility in manning levels consistent with the service and Fostering in accordance with paragraph 6(c).

(d)        Co-operation to eliminate overnight-" stays as required.

(e)        Co-operation with the health boards in participating in such training programmes which may be introduced for the provision of a more effective Ambulance Service.

8.                  Vehicles and Equipment checking procedures

(a)        Adoption of a common care and maintenance procedure for ambulance and patient transport vehicles e.g. routine checking of engine, condition of vehicle and equipment.

 (b)       Monitoring performance of vehicles 6.g. mechanical reliability and fuel consumption through maintenance of whatever records are, necessary to appraise the effectiveness of vehicles

(c)        Maintaining the interiors and exteriors of Ambulance and patient transport vehicles in the cleanest possible state consistent with the requirements of the service.

(d)        Ensuring through regular inspection that each vehicle has its required complement of equipment and when necessary having such items replaced and keeping such records relating there to as might be required.

(e)        Co-operating with the introduction and use of such new and replacement equipment issued to Ambulances and patient transport vehicles.

(f)         Maintaining the standards required in the care taking of depots/stations and garages.

9.         Continuity of Service.

In the event of the absence or unavailability of an Ambulance/Transport supervisor, co-operation in the taking of calls and the keeping of routine station records.

10.       Work Study

(a)        Co-operation in work-study programmes.

(b)        Completion of records, e.g. Log sheets giving details of time and duration of calls etc.

(c)        Co-operation in the introduction of revised management technique,

11.       Other Duties

 Assisting as required in the Casualty, Intensive Care Units arid Theatre areas in a capacity appropriate to their training.

12.       Local Practices

The elimination of local practices and allowance at variance with the terms of agreement.

13.      Improved Communications

Co-operation with and participation in the introduction of improved communication systems.

14.       Allowances

The pay scale incorporated in this agreement subsumes all allowances, which are paid including service pay but will exclude Sunday,

Public Holiday and Saturday Allowances.

15.       Differentials/Relativities

An integral part of this agreement is -that following the -implementation of the proposed pay scales, claims for the restoration of former differentials or former relativities will neither be made not supported by any of the signatory unions to this agreement.

16.       Implementation

It is proposed that each regional health board will enter into discussions with representatives of the Ambulance Drivers to formulate it’s own local agreement in accordance within the provision of this centeral agreement. There will be full co-operation on an on-going basis from Ambulance Drivers in achieving the objectives of this agreement through the implementation of the agreed productivity flexibility measures.

17.       Monitoring Committee

It is proposed to establish, at national level, a central monitoring (committee comprising six members, three representing Ambulance Drivers and three representing health boards which will assist where required in the interpretation of the central agreement and monitor it's implementation.

18.       Operative Date

Subject to local agreements in accordance with the terms of this central agreement being finalised and signed by the union’s representives Ambulance Drivers, the agreement will be effective from 1 May 1978.

19.       Scale of pay

The pay scale proposed on the basis of acceptance of the terms of this agreement are set out hereunder and include the first phase of the employer / trade union National Agreement 1998.

Ambulance Driver                                            Untrained                  £56.16 per week

            After 12 months continuous service      untrained                   £58.30 per week

Ambulance Driver                                            Trained                      £60.49 per week

                                                           After one                   £62.10 per week

                                                                       After two years          £63.72 per week

                                                           After three years        £65.24 per week

                                                                       After four years         £66.96 per week

20.       Assimilation

(a)        Existing Ambulance Drivers

Assimilation to the pay scale will be on the basis of completed years of continuous service.

(b)        New Ambulance Drivers

Such personnel on recruitment should be paid at the untrained rate.  On successful completion of training Ambulance Drivers should be placed on the first point of the trained pay scale with the date of entry to that point becoming the incremental date.

21.       Other Payments

(a)        On"-Call

A payment of one sixth of the flat hourly rate will be paid in respect of each hour on-call.

(b)        Overtime

With the exception of relief duty all work performed outside of the rostered working week will be compensate or by the payment of standard overtime rates i.e.

T. +1/2 - 8.00 a.m. - 12 Midnight Monday to Friday and 8.00 a.m. to 12 noon on Saturday.

2T.       - 12 midnight to 8.00 a.m., Sunday to Saturday, and from 12 noon on Saturday midnight Sunday.

A minimum payment of one hours overtime, will apply in respect of each call-out.