Mark,
We also have an escalation policy which only involves calling the Consultants when the department is clinically unsafe. What does that mean? Well, its pretty much at the nurse in charge's discretion, but they're pretty good and we rarely get called for this. Over the last year they were forced to call us when there were impeding breaches (or is it breeches, can't remember what spelling we decided on!!) so we would get a call to say the department is busy, no one is unsafe, and we don't expect you to come in!!?? We had finally put this to bed and stopped these pointless calls until we failed the target for two quarters in a row and the managers are pressurising again. They have offered us ~ £85 an hour if we come in to queue bust but we have said no. Given they did pay us the surgeons 'incentive rate' (about £200 an hour) to work fixed shifts on the winter Bank Holidays that's quite a difference!
I've actually just been in for 4-5 hours tonight clearing a wait because I knew it would be chaos overnight otherwise but the nurse in charge who had informed me about the wait confirmed there was no one 'sick' waiting (and she was right). I will be claiming these hours as extra work, I don't feel our on-call PA is for this type of thing, and though I am due at work at 9am this morning I will be taking compensatory rest and not starting until about 11am.
Simon McCormick
Rotherham
-----Original Message-----
From: mark nicol [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 07 May 2006 19:48
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: remuneration for queue bashing
What have colleagues negotiated with their employing trusts when the trust
wants the consultant to come in, when on-call, to queue bash.I acknowledge
the specialty has indicated it disapproves of trusts abusing consultants to
address 4hr breach targets-as opposed to clinical targets, but that does not
seem to stop them trieing as I found out at 0320hr this morning-despite me
being involved in writing an escalation policy that did not include calling
consultants in.
I understand some hospitals remunerate the consultants with a fee
commensurate with what surgeons get paid to do waiting list initiative, I
also appreciate the new contract enables use of compensatory leave when
consultants are significanlty disturbed at night.
Any info appreciated.
mark at macclesfield
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