Paramedic Justice – Better Late Than Never!

When I wrote to the then Chief Executive (Ann Radmore) on behalf of London Ambulance UNISON in November 2014 laying out the union’s ideas and demands to get the Service out of the downward spiral it was in, I didn’t think that it would take two years for the Service…

Unprecedented President!

I was once Camden Ambulance Station Shop Steward and now I am President of UNISON. I am the first ambulance worker ever to hold this position.

Banging On About Band 6!

“Change the record” I hear people say “we get the message. LAS Paramedics should be in Band 6!” It has sounded like a broken record at times but, believe me, that broken record has helped the message get through to a once ‘fingers in the ears’ Senior Management. While we…

2016! Hasta La Victoria Siempre!

Just over a year ago today I wrote the following in a post on this Blog with the title ‘Dear Santa…Help!

Who Are You Calling Inadequate!

Talk about Black Friday! Today (27/11/15) is the London Ambulance Service Black Friday. The report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is publically published today. It is not good reading. The overall assessment and rating is ‘Inadequate’! The saving grace, as always, is the staff. The CQC acknowledges that staff…

Shout Loud.

At the risk of repeating myself (but I will nonetheless!) it is untenable that our paramedics within the London Ambulance Service are paid less than other paramedics in neighbouring Services.

Australia: To me – To you!

There will be plenty of ‘Chuckle Brothers’ Australian recruitment jokes going round the Service at this time, regarding a Director who travels to Australia to recruit staff, only for him, in a bizarre twist, to be recruited by the South Australian Ambulance Service. To be the Chief of all things!…

Tumbleweed!

We are going through a funny period within the London Ambulance Service. Demand is rising, staff are being stretched (and still leaving), the Press are waiting for our next target failure, the CQC are still all over us like a rash and yet, and yet…tumbleweeds are blowing through Waterloo Headquarters!

Hard Labour!

There is no doubt that the next five years are going to be challenging to say the least! A government with a pro-privatisation agenda has been preferred to one with a more Public Service ethos. A Party with a death wish against the NHS is trusted more with it, than…

May Day Mayday!

May 1st is International Workers’ Day.  A day celebrated in over 80 countries all over the world. It is a public holiday in many other countries. Workers, their unions and their political parties, stand together to show that there is a better world, a better way and a better future….