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Occupational Therapists Meeting
Notes of UNISON Meeting for Community OTs 29/08/03,
12:30 pm, Conference Room, Shrubhill
Present
Julia Pendreigh (Victoria Street), Stella Goodwin
(Housing Dept), Margaret Whitehead (Craigentinny), Linda Bertram
(JES), Jackie Paterson (Westfield House), Janne Solpark (Westfield
House), Lorraine Furness (Springwell House), Tirion Dickson (Captain's
Road), Maureen Grove (West Pilton Gardens), Heather McSharry (West
Pilton Gardens), Maggie Roscoe (West Pilton Gardens), Maureen
Clapton (Captain's Road), Jill Wallis (Leith), Jacq Moore (Leith),
Kath Motion (Leith) Anne Butler (Craigentinny), Shona Jackson
(Westfield House), Liz Gilmour (Victoria Street), Elaine Robertson
(Oxgangs), Marian Barry (Murrayburn Gate), Lynne Fell (Murrayburn
Gate), Barrie Ross (Oxgangs), Lindsey Macleod (Craigmillar), Carol
Macaulay (Captain's Road), Gill Robertson (Springwell House),
Elaine McGill (Springwell House)
In Attendance
Kirsten Hey (UNISON Steward/OT Victoria Street)
Lyn Williams (Convenor, SW stewards' committee)
Duncan MacAulay (Head of Operations, Shrubhill)
- for part of meeting
Apologies
Alison Anderson, Joanne Boyle, Chantal Bruce, Paddy
Corscadden, Frances MacNamara, Anne Milne, Jillian Young
These are basic notes of what was discussed:
Pay & Conditions/Career Structure/Recruitment
& Retention
- flat career structure - very little opportunity to progress
as an OT, very little reward for increased experience - "one
grade for life"
- need full review of posts, grades, structure and salaries
- ?regional OTs/divisional assistants - used to have them
- was their loss the start of the decline?
- Edinburgh cost of living affects recruitment and retention
- NHS posts look more attractive in terms of salary for experienced
workers but not easy to do direct comparison because grades,
roles and responsibilities are very different - also, Agenda
for Change and Single Status will change things
- need to look at other options for recruitment/retention
such as car allowances and parking facilities - things that
make the job easier to do
- HPC registration fees £60 pa plus SSSC fees £30 pa - why
do OTs have to register twice?
- who is our highest line manager? Senior OT in practice team
feeds to PTM - who looks at OT specific issues? Duncan MacAulay?
Colin Beck feeds OT issues in to Shrubhill but line management
and communication systems are not profession-specific
Remit of Community Occupational Therapist
- mix and complexity of cases has changed - use of more CCAs
to do the simple work leaves OTs with only complex cases
- who looks at OT work from a CEC-wide perspective?
- job descriptions are out of date and do not reflect the
reality of the work
- team integration of work has been at the expense of OT skills
- OT establishment appears to stay at same level despite increase
in workload
- OT numbers is not in proportion to the workload
Appraisal and CPD
- not everyone is getting appraisal, appraisal system is implemented
incorrectly
- CPD neglected by Department - mandatory training are not
OT specific - very little attention given to OT training needs
Lack of OT Stewards
- only one OT steward in CEC SW dept (but she was very heartened
by this turnout)
Action to be Taken
- OT subgroup already looking at some of these issues - Kirsten
to join that group
- OT subgroup to pass these issues to Duncan MacAulay who
will take them to a new Workforce Issues group set up Scotland
wide to look at issues for anyone in Social Care
- Members to write to COT council reps, MSPs and CEC councillors
to raise these issues and ask for them to be progressed
- Members to consider becoming stewards and contact points
to distribute information
- Members to let Kirsten know their email addresses so communication
can be done via email
Dates of Next Meetings
- OT subgroup 30/09/03, 11 am, Craigentinny
- OT UNISON meeting 17/10/03 12:30-14:30, Conference Room,
Shrubhill
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Dates of Next Meetings
- OT subgroup 30/09/03, 11 am, Craigentinny
- OT UNISON meeting 17/10/03 12:30-14:30, Conference Room,
Shrubhill
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