HEALTH AND SAFETY
721
First Aid Training - Outsourcing Threat
The Health, Safety & Environment Dept has received several enquiries from Branches and Reps in relation to a proposal to outsource all First Aid training. The purpose of this report is to clarify the situation and inform Branches what is going on.
We are informed that Dermot Toberty Director P&OD and Royal Mail Learning Services apparently made the decision to outsource all First Aid at Work Training without consulting or seeking the agreement of any one. We understand that the decision does not have the support of Royal Mail's Head of Heath Dr Steve Deacon, Royal Mail's Head of Safety Allan St John Holt, Royal Mail's Director of Corporate Social Responsibility Dr Steve Boorman or Jim Scott Principal First Aid Adviser (Atos Origin) or indeed anyone come to that. The decision certainly does not have the support of the Current National Chair of PoFAS Andy McArthur who is also a CWU Area Safety Representative and neither does it have the support of anyone in CWU HQ.
Royal Mail has about 5,000 appointed first aid volunteers with a legal qualification renewal period of 3 years. Currently 'Postal First Aid Services' (PoFAS) delivers all aspects of First Aid Training and support throughout Royal Mail Group (RMG). This service has been provided for the past 103 years. This training is provided and carried out in-house by Royal Mail's own volunteer employees who are qualified First Aid Trainers. There are currently 106 Trainers, 73 Assessors and 17 Casualty Simulators and Coaches. Most are CWU members and some CMA members. The Trainers themselves are trained to St John Ambulance/PoFAS standards and are monitored by Atos Origin First Aid Trainer Development Advisers. Atos Origin being the current EHS supplier in RMG.
The Training Costs to Royal Mail of the present volunteer arrangements only amounts to the cost of the Trainers release from normal duty and travelling costs. Trainers are released typically about 2-3 times a year for 4 days per Course. As such it is very cost effective. However, an Outsourced Training Contractor could charge £3000 to £4000 per course for training 6 to 12 people. With the Business currently trying to save money where ever it can, this decision by Mr Toberty and Learning Services appears to lack any logic and looks totally nonsensical financially as outsourcing could add anything up to an estimated Million Pounds or more to the annual costs.
PoFAS had been in discussions with Royal Mail Learning services to arrange for an approved First Aid training provider to deliver training on a very limited back up basis, that is to fill in any gaps on the rare occasion when an in-house PoFAS trainer was unavailable. However, very recently it became apparent that elements within senior RMG management, for reasons best known to themselves, were seriously considering out sourcing all First Aid training currently under taken by in-house trainers.
Another sad thing is that this all seems so familiar and these "Outsourcing Champions" are blind to reason and facts. The outsourcing of First Aid at Work Training within Royal Mail has been considered to my knowledge on several previous occasions going back to the mid-eighties and on every occasion it was rejected for the same reasons it should be rejected now.
Our 5000 people involved as First Aiders, Trainers and Assessors will rightly feel bitterly disappointed and let down that this is even being considered. The dedication, professionalism, quality, and general high standards provided by our own trainers throughout the country is being jeopardised by a bunch of faceless people in Royal Mail HQ who don't and probably will never appreciate what we have here. I know that all our First Aiders, trainers and assessors put their heart and soul into delivering an excellent, first class, professional service and their efforts go unpaid. People volunteer to be First Aiders and are on site ready to carry out any First Aid needed in emergencies, and do this quite willingly. They are not only a great benefit and support to other Royal Mail Workers but do on occasions provide assistance to members of the public and have to their credit saved lives. These people will be betrayed if any part of First Aid services is outsourced.
First aid provision is an absolute legal requirement. The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. Inadequate provision of First Aid risks harm to workers and can lead to enforcement action by the HSE. It is illegal to operate a business without adequate First Aid provision.
First Aid is one of those precious fundamental safety net provisions, invisible most of the time and taken for granted by most but it is important to remember that accidents can and do happen at any time and our First Aiders deal with life threatening conditions and injuries each year. First-aid provision needs to be available at all times people are at work and is something that could mean the difference between life and death to those whom the unsung heroes come to assist in their hour of need. As such PoFAS and our First Aiders have my personal support and the support of CWU HQ. Royal Mail must ensure a high standard of first aid provision to protect our people if they are to be recognised as a responsible employer. Any changes affecting PoFAS and in house first aid training will risk an adverse impact on employee relations with discontent resulting in withdrawal of our support and that of individuals which could jeopardise operations.
This unsupported outsourcing decision has led to a deluge of complaints up to and including the Chairman's office and to various Business Unit heads and Board members etc. Understandably feelings are running high in relation to this matter amongst those directly involved and CWU HQ fully supports our members in this respect.
At the present time the whole issue is being fully investigated. I am assured that the matter is being progressed through the normal consultation procedures between PoFAS and RMG and hopefully this crazy proposal will be withdrawn.
Further updates will be provided in due course. If you should have any direct questions these can be addressed directly by Andy McArthur National Chair PoFAS. (01582 394613). Andy, who is the ASR for Eastern number 6 is fully engaged in this issue and in contact with the Health, Safety & Environment Department.
All enquiries should be addressed to Dave Joyce, National Health, Safety & Environment Officer quoting ref: EX7