As all paramedics are aware, their practice is governed by the Health Professions Council. Over recent months it has become apparent that some referrals have not been handled as well as they could, sometimes due to misunderstandings. The Trust and staffside would like to jointly request that any member of staff who believes they should self refer, only do so after talking to a union rep or a member of the Workforce team. Staffside Chair, Stuart Gardner, said: “The way that the referral is written can have a major influence on how it is handled by the HPC. The last thing we would want is interim suspensions if it is not warranted due to a badly worded referral.” Director of Workforce, Kim Nurse, added: “We are working jointly on developing a formal process for referrals which should assist. However, in the meantime, I can only endorse Stuart’s comments. If you are a manager and believe a referral should be made, please contact me in the first instance so we can discuss and be assured it is appropriate in the circumstances."
