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Volume 1 of the VEOHRC review was scathing of the culture of AV and the failure of the AV Exec to lead by example. Furthermore, the failings of the PCU and Recruitment have allowed the “boys club” or “in-crowd” to flourish.

No one in the AV Executive should have immunity and we call on the AV Board to take immediate action to show all AV staff that accountability stretches to those who hold responsibility.

The release of Volume 2 of the VEOHRC review on Thursday should surely be the last straw and action must be taken if there is any hope of rebuilding trust in the organisation.

Time is of the essence here and the risk is that if the AV Exec is not held to account now, staff will have given up on the hope of generational change.

The delay to date has shown that it is unlikely that the AV Board will make the decisive calls that are necessary without real pressure.

If you believe AV has failed to take the justified and necessary action to show they take this seriously, then please sign our PETITION calling on the AV Board to take action.

No more hollow words and empty promises, AV staff need real consequences now!

All members are invited to join us this Thursday 31 March at 11.30am or Thursday 31 March at 7.00pm for important zoom meetings in response to Volume 2 of VEOHRC.

To join the meetings, click on the link to register in the times above.

You can read the AV response HERE.

The AEAV believes this is not in the spirit of the AVEA 2020 and is an attempt by AV to erode the legal right to a 10-hour break

To counter this dismissive and disrespectful response from AV the AEAV is advising all members when Spare to contact the DM and advise that you are on a fatigue break between your nightshifts. The fatigue break then entitles you to that break and if it is broken by a phone call you can advise them that you are recommencing your fatigue break.  

You can access the survey HERE.

You can read more about the submission to WorkSafe HERE.

In reality, the KPI is flawed. Unless there is significant ramping or staff complete the VACIS in the ambulance there is little chance for most to achieve this target. The KPI is particularly difficult for operational staff to achieve in rural areas where management of the patient can be for extended periods and there may not be ramping at the ED. Yet AV still pressures all staff to achieve the target of 20 mins.

The consequence of this approach by AV is additional stress on staff and forces many to complete the VACIS in the back of the ambulance en route to ED.

Unfortunately, this is a KPI that has gone unchecked for many years and has resulted in additional stress and unsafe work practices for operational staff. We will keep you updated on the investigation.

If you wish to assist the investigation and provide your own experiences, you can leave a message on 9287 1713 or email us at [email protected].

We would particularly like to hear from anyone that has been threatened by a manager as a result of this KPI.

Today (Monday 28 March) was organised to be the first of 5 data access days, however ESTA has pulled the pin on the first session claiming that understaffing has created a problem for releasing delegates.

Since the release of Volume 1 of the VEOHRC review we have spoken with a number of members regarding the potential for legal action against AV for failing to protect staff. Although there is no doubt that AV’s failures have harmed many staff over the years, there are pretty strict criteria for taking action against them. If you have suffered harm at the hands of AV and you believe legal action may be a possibility please contact us by leaving a message on 9287 1713 or emailing us at [email protected].

Our Industrial lawyers will review the matter and if deemed appropriate we can make a referral to Maurice Blackburn.

In December we wrote to the Health Minister with ideas to minimise the impact on paramedics of regularly working with the Surge Workforce. The Health Minister responded on 14 February and summarily dismissed both our ideas.

You can read the exchange HERE.

We thought this was done and dusted but after we vented to the Dept of Health last week it seems our letter is back on the table for consideration. Libby Murphy indicated last Friday that she will look into it. We’ll keep you updated on any progress.

Prepare yourself and your team for upcoming disasters by enrolling in a Psychological First Aid or Trauma-informed Care course run by Phoenix Australia, affiliated with the University of Melbourne.

Being a frontline first responder in disaster-impacted communities means community members call on you for help. Phoenix Australia’s courses are specifically designed for emergency services personnel supporting communities as part of their work or volunteering role, to help others deal with the impacts of past trauma, and prepare for future disasters, while looking after your own wellbeing.

Watch this short video for more information on PFA.

For a limited time, Phoenix Australia is offering free PFA training delivered in Bairnsdale to first responders and frontline workers supporting communities impacted by the 19/20 Bushfires as part of their professional or volunteering role – including police, country fire, parks and wildlife, ambulance services and community support providers.

Follow the link HERE for further information and booking links.

A crow was sitting on a tree, doing nothing all day. A rabbit asked him, “Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long?” The crow answered, “Sure, why not.” So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow and rested.

A fox jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

Moral of the story: To be sitting and doing nothing, you must be sitting very high up.

As always, if you have any issues, questions or queries, get in touch by leaving a message on 9287 1713 or email [email protected]

And most importantly, please stay safe out there.

Brett Adie – AEAV Secretary