Over the last year London Ambulance UNISON Branch have on numerous occasions raised the issue that our TEAC/EAC members have seen significant changes to the job role that was first agreed and matched to band 4 in 2014.
The significant changes being:
- The knowledge, skills and experience required for the EAC role is now equal to a level 4 qualification due to the increase in clinical education through Core Skills Refresher training for existing staff and due to new entrants being trained to a level 4 Futurequals Diploma for Associate Ambulance Practitioners.
- EAC’s now provide clinical supervision and job training to less experienced and trainee members of the care team. EAC’s have worked supervising trainees in the operational deployment centres and supervise TEACS & Student Paramedics.
- EAC’s work is now managed rather than supervised, EAC’s are deployed in the CHUB and on FRUs and are mandated to use the Pathfinder tool to discharge patients on scene without supervision or refer on, for example 12 lead ECG interpretation and direct referral to Heart Attack and Arrhythmia Centres.
This has now resulted in LAS UNISON supporting one of our EAC reps formally writing to the Director of Operations of the London Ambulance Service requesting a re-evaluation of the job role.
We now look forward to working in partnership with the London Ambulance Service, updating the Job Description and carrying out a re-evaluation of the role under the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme.
More information will follow as this issue develops………………………..
