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where we are overall in terms of compliance, FAST FACTS
was to assess ourselves against our legislative 600+ 70%
compliance register,’ says Nicola. ‘We’ve
also assessed ourselves against the hazard 50,000 volunteers of WAST workforce
register and can now more easily identify involved in emergency
medical services
urgent calls to
areas that can be strengthened. Both of
WAST every year
these documents are live documents and
are frequently reviewed. It has helped the 112 250,000

organisation prioritise improvement efforts 3,500+
and, where necessary, make the investments
employed WAST premises, including emergency
required. It has also strengthened the ambulance stations and calls to WAST
staff
assurance that can be provided to the trust clinical contact centres every year
board on OSH matters.’
There are some concrete results already.
A previous audit of WAST in 2018 provided
the trust with limited assurance, but that working on stage four when we were still in proud of the work that Nicola and the team
has been upgraded to ‘reasonable’ assurance stage two to three,’ Nicola says. have undertaken on Working Safely and
across all six requirements within the audit. ‘So when our DSE assessor goes into our co-producing it with the very colleagues it
And WAST’s health and safety risk score, clinical contact centres and somebody wants is there to support has been the key to its
which incorporates failure to deliver a mature a complex DSE assessment because they’ve success to date, as well as buy-in at board
OSH culture, has been reduced from 20 in got a problem, they are now starting to say: level. There is always more to do, but what
2018 to 15 in May 2022. Nicola is reviewing it “I’m okay but my friend over there needs we have already achieved since its creation
and expects to hit the target score of 10. one.” That shows us the green shoots of has given us a promising progress on this
Early signs of changing the risk culture interdependency, which is fantastic.” important programme of work.’
are already encouraging. ‘We use the Bradley Jonathan Turnbull-Ross, the trust’s
curve [see: bit.ly/loreal-bradley] as our assistant director of quality, says: ‘Our job as Making things happen
cultural maturity tool, and I would say we an ambulance service is to care for people, Nicola is keen to emphasise that buy-in and
are at a stage of “dependent” moving heavily so health and safety must be at the heart of support from above has been crucial.
towards “independent”. We don’t move all we do and that applies to patients, staff ‘The leadership team and the board
through the stages one-by-one – we were and volunteers in equal measure. We are have been extremely supportive of the
programme and have prioritised safety, in
terms of investments I have required, and
their personal commitments to leading and
supporting this journey. There has really been
buy-in from the top tier down. The assistant
director of quality has believed in and helped
shape the programme’s vision and direction
from day one and has supported us every step
throughout this worthwhile journey.’
She continues: ‘We get a lot of engagement

from staff wanting help, and we get active
requests from staff for our input into

meetings and projects across the trust, which
I think shows that they like our engagement
and they don’t see us as the old stereotypical
health and safety clipboard wielders. We set
ourselves out as an enabling team that makes
things happen, safely.’

Further information: ambulance.nhs.
wales/get-involved/with-us-not-against-us

IOSH MAGAZINE 55

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