Ambulance Officer (Operations Resource Manager)
Job Specification & Terms and Conditions
Job Title and Grade / Ambulance Officer (Operations Resource Manager) (Grade Code 6122)Campaign Reference / NRS0528
Closing Date / Tuesday, 29th November 2011, 12 noon
Proposed Interview Date (s) / Week commencing 9th January 2012
Taking up Appointment / To be indicated at job offer stage.
Organisational Area / National Ambulance Service
Location of Post / Initial assignments to one of three NAS Areas
A panel may be formed from which future permanent or temporary vacancies may be filled.
Details of Service / The National Ambulance Service provides:
§ A 24-hour emergency Ambulance Service
§ Non-emergency patient transport services for non-ambulant patients
§ Communications, Call Taking, Dispatch and Performance
§ Education and Competency Assurance
§ Provision of Air Ambulance in conjunction with the Department of Defence
§ Planned transport of patients between hospitals and specialist care centres
§ Training in resuscitation and related emergency care
Reporting Relationship / Operations Performance Manager or designated alternate.
Purpose of the Post / The main purpose of the post is the delivery of operational performance through effective management and utilisation of available resources.
Responsible for the day to day management of human resources, including workforce planning, employee engagement and in conjunction with Control Managers, implementation of the Performance Improvement Plan to achieve improvements in response times.
Responsible for ensuring effective engagement with the Operational Support Team to ensure the timely availability, maintenance, legislative compliance and efficient utilisation of all non human resources. Responsible for working collaboratively with the Medical Director and Education and Competency Assurance Team to facilitate clinical supervision and competency assurance. Responsible for engagement with and support of First Responder Schemes.
In order to address exigencies of the service, candidates should note that appointees will be expected to interchange between roles at Ambulance Officer level, subject to holding the necessary qualifications, where required to do so at the discretion of the Area Operations Manager or designated alternate (Reference: National Ambulance Transport Supervisors Agreement 1999)
Principal Duties and Responsibilities / The key tasks involved in carrying out these responsibilities can be divided into the following broad areas:
People Management
The Ambulance Officer (Operations Resource Manager) will:
§ Ensure that Workforce Planning arrangements and systems are optimised to ensure all available staff are focussed on achieving response times and service delivery performance.
§ Provide leadership within their service area of responsibility – building and communicating a vision, inspiring others to work towards common goals.
§ Create total awareness among staff and supervisors on the need to address performance.
§ Delegate appropriate responsibility and authority to Supervisors, empowering them to carry out tasks fitting to their role and assisting them in the prioritising of tasks.
§ Ensure that effective HR systems are in place e.g. rostering, absence management, disciplinary & grievance procedures.
§ Interface and communicate with staff, service users, union officials and other stakeholders.
§ Agree performance objectives for self with Operations Performance Manager and set and review performance objectives for Managers.
§ Pro-actively seek opportunities for development of self and others, based on individual need and service priorities.
§ Identify future staffing needs and participate in selection & recruitment of high quality personnel.
§ Support other managers in the performance of their duties where required to do so.
§ Ensuring staff release for Education and Competency Assurance purposes.
Service Planning & Delivery
The Ambulance Officer (Operations Resource Manager) will:
§ Be part of the resource pool available for response to emergency calls, subject to holding appropriate qualifications (PHECC Paramedic or above).
§ Candidates will be expected to respond to emergencies without impacting on the quality of their work so as to contribute to personal credibility, an improvement in response times performance and clinical outcomes. In this regard, candidates will be personally responsible for the maintenance of any associated CPD.
§ Take the lead role in engaging with and supporting the establishment and support of First Responder Schemes.
§ Maintain & review appropriate data, records and information with a view to producing timely management reports.
§ Advise the Operations Performance Manager on all matters affecting the operational management of Ambulance staff, communications systems and equipment.
§ Anticipate, where possible, and find solutions to operational problems.
§ Take decisions in relation to the management of the Service.
§ Actively participate in the service planning & review process, based on a thorough analysis of all relevant information and develops quality service options for appraisal, which are responsive to consumer need.
§ Participate in multidisciplinary / interagency activities as appropriate.
Risk Management & Business Continuity
The Ambulance Officer (Operations Resource Manager) will:
§ Ensure that complaints concerning the Ambulance Service are investigated promptly and in accordance with Service policy and that remedial action is taken where appropriate.
§ Ensure effective rostering arrangements are in place to deliver approved levels of service.
§ Assist in the development and implementation of codes of best practice in partnership with staff representatives and Unions.
§ Maintain confidentiality in relation to personal data held for colleagues and patients, ensuring it is processed lawfully; for no purpose other than for which it was intended; is relevant to that purpose; is retained for no longer than is necessary; is processed in accordance with the rights of the subject to access and accuracy; and is protected from accidental loss or damage in accordance with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1988 and 2003, records management guidance and information governance procedures.
§ Maintain confidentiality of patient identifiable personal data using a non-identifiable alternative, where practicable, and limiting access on a strictly need to know basis.
Other Requirements of the Post
§ Job Holder may be expected to use a marked Officer Response Vehicle during working/on call hours. Where unavailable, post holders will require access to transport as the post may involve frequent travel.
§ Job Holder will be expected to respond to emergencies without impacting on the quality of their work so as to contribute to personal credibility, an improvement in response times performance and clinical outcomes
§ In this regard, Job Holder will be personally responsible for the maintenance of any associated CPD
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.
Eligibility Criteria
Qualifications and/ or experience / Candidates must by the Closing Date of this campaign:
(a) Be currently employed within the National Ambulance Service.
(b) Be currently registered on, and maintain registration on the Paramedic Division of the Register as held by the Pre Hospital Emergency Care Council
(c) Possess the National Qualification in Emergency Medical Technology and the PHECC Paramedic Practitioner’s Licence
(d) Be the holder of a full unendorsed Class C1 and full unendorsed class D1 driving licence
(e) Have a minimum of 2 years experience in a first line ambulance management post
(f) Must possess the requisite knowledge and ability, including a high standard of suitability and managerial ability, for the proper discharge of the duties of the office
Health
A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.
Character
Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.
Age
Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he/she is not classified as a new entrant (within the meaning of the Public Service Superannuation Act, 2004). A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 65 years of age on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving completed application forms for the office occurs.
Post Specific Requirements / NA
Skills, competencies and/or knowledge / Professional Knowledge
§ Demonstrate a high degree of commitment, professionalism and dedication to the philosophy of quality health care provision.
§ Demonstrate a knowledge of performance improvement systems and HR practices
§ Knowledge of Health Service reforms and how they impact on the National Ambulance Service.
Planning and Managing Resources
Managing People & Collaborative Working
Initiation and Management of Change (Focus on Service Users)
Problem Solving & Decision Making
Communication & Interpersonal Skills
Campaign Specific Selection Process
Ranking/Shortlisting / Interview / A ranking and or shortlisting exercise may be carried out on the basis of information supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and / or shortlisting are based on the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you think about your experience in light of those requirements.
Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being called forward to the next stage of the selection process.
An assessment centre may be included as part of the selection process. This will be run by trained assessors. If being implemented, candidates will be given more information in advance.
Those successful at the ranking stage of this process (where applied) will be placed on an order of merit and will be called to interview in ‘bands’ depending on the service needs of the organisation.
Code of Practice / The Health Service Executive will run this campaign in compliance with the Code of Practice prepared by the Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA). The Code of Practice sets out how the core principles of probity, merit, equity and fairness might be applied on a principle basis. The Code also specifies the responsibilities placed on candidates, facilities for feedback to applicants on matters relating to their application when requested, and outlines procedures in relation to requests for a review of the recruitment and selection process and review in relation to allegations of a breach of the Code of Practice. Additional information on the HSE’s review process is available in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, information for candidates”.
Codes of practice are published by the CPSA and are available on www.hse.ie/eng/staff/jobs in the document posted with each vacancy entitled “Code of Practice, information for candidates” or on www.cpsa.ie.
This post will be affected by the ongoing Reform Programme and successful candidates should be aware that significant change in the management structure of the National Ambulance Service is anticipated.
This job description is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to the post holder. It is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive and is subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.
Operations Resource Manager
Terms and Conditions of Employment
Tenure / The initial vacancies for this post are permanent and whole-time. This post is pensionable. A panel will be formed from this recruitment campaign and future permanent or specified purpose vacancies of full-time or part-time duration will be filled from this panel. The tenure of these posts will be indicated at "expression of interest" stage.Appointment as an employee of the Health Service Executive is governed by the Health Act 2004 and the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointment) Act 2004.
Remuneration / The Salary scale for the post as at 01/01/10 is: €44,849 – €45,954 – €47,289 – €49,797 – €51,293 (max) – €53,157 (1st LSI) – €55,032 (2nd LSI)
In line with the Terms of Agreement for Ambulance Transport Supervisors under the provisions of Clause 2 (iii), A of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work agreed between the HSEA/IMPACT/SIPTU and specifically Paragraph 1, the salary scale applicable to this grade will be on an all-inclusive basis i.e. no overtime payments.
Working Week / The standard working week applying to the post is 35 hours, which may include evening, night and weekend work as necessary from time to time.
HSE Circular 003-2009 “Matching Working Patterns to Service Needs (Extended Working Day / Week Arrangements); Framework for Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016” applies. Under the terms of this circular, all new entrants and staff appointed to promotional posts from Dec 16th 2008 will be required to work agreed roster / on call arrangements as advised by their line manager. Contracted hours of work are liable to change between the hours of 8am-8pm over seven days to meet the requirements for extended day services in accordance with the terms of the Framework Agreement (Implementation of Clause 30.4 of Towards 2016).
On Call Requirement / Participate in on call hours when required for effective service provision.
Communications / You will be required to carry a mobile telephone/email and/or pager for urgent or necessary calls/contact during and outside working hours
Annual Leave / 28 Days (National discussions are underway regarding standardisation of Annual Leave, the outcome of which may result in changes to the number of days currently specified)
Superannuation / Membership of the HSE Employee Superannuation Scheme applies to this appointment.
Existing Members who transferred to the HSE on 1st January 2005 pursuant to Section 60 of the Health Act 2004 are entitled to superannuation benefit terms under the HSE Scheme which are no less favourable to those to which they were entitled at 31st December 2004.
Appointees to posts in the Mental Health Services which formerly attracted fast accrual of service should note that the terms of Section 65 of the Mental Treatment Act 1945 do not apply to New Entrant Public Servants as defined by Section 12 of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004.
Probation / Every appointment of a person who is not already a permanent officer of the Health Service Executive or of a Local Authority shall be subject to a probationary period of 12 months as stipulated in the Department of Health Circular No.10/71.
Protection of Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998 / As this post is one of those designated under the Protection of Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act 1998, appointment to this post appoints one as a designated officer in accordance with Section 2 of the Act. You will remain a designated officer for the duration of your appointment to your current post or for the duration of your appointment to such other post as is included in the categories specified in the Ministerial Direction. You will receive full information on your responsibilities under the Act on appointment.
HIQA Standards / Have a working knowledge of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) Standards as they apply to the role for example, Standards for Healthcare, National Standards for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections, Hygiene Standards etc.
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