- Conference
- 2022 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 10 December 2021
- Decision
- Carried
Conference notes with concern, the detrimental impact of ongoing pressures within ambulance services on both staff and patients. Across ambulance services, staff working in a wide range of roles work together to deliver the best care for patients. Now increasing demands on already-stretched services mean staff are experiencing poor mental health as they work under immense pressure in under-staffed teams.
The strain within services has been exacerbated further by the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Since March 2020, staff working in ambulance services have often been at the forefront of the pandemic response putting patients first as they manage difficult conversations in control rooms, comfort patients in homes, and worry about whether they themselves had suitable Personal Protective Equipment. Conference is concerned that members will no longer be able to manage the unacceptable levels of pressure within services, and be forced to seek opportunities outside the sector, resulting in potential loss of knowledge and worsening existing recruitment issues.
Conference notes that winter pressures across services is no longer confined to a season, as services are struggling to cope all- year-round. Members have advised that hospital handover delays have worsened significantly, with hospital bed shortages leaving staff queuing with patients in ambulances as they seek treatment they need.
Conference highlights the damaging impact that government’s underfunding of services has had. Inadequate investment means that ambulance services are now stretched more than ever – presenting a danger to staff and patients.
Conference therefore calls on the Service Group Executive to:
1) Continue to raise concerns about the impact of pressures within services on staff mental health, calling on employers to provide adequate support
2) Continue to call for suitable funding that ensures services are well-equipped to support staff and patients throughout the pandemic and beyond