Friday 2 October 2015

Latest From Napo 80

Extract from the latest blog post from Ian Lawrence, Napo General Secretary:-

STEP INTO MY OFFICE? – IT’S THE BLUE FORD AT BAY 6!

The post-TR shambles manifests itself in increasingly incredulous ways and now we are investigating reports that the relocation of established office premises is adding even worse problems to the general chaos, where new premises have yet to be secured or refurbished.

I have had a conversation with a member who believes that a colleague was instructed to conduct an appointment with a client in the back of the practitioner’s car because the arrangements to see their client in another government building fell through. Another report from a different part of the country indicates that staff, having been told to arrange to interview clients at another would be provider of temporary accommodation learnt to their horror that staff there were not comfortable with the idea of Probation clients pitching up.

Elsewhere, agreements have apparently been reached to let clients into temporary premises but the host organisation closes on the money at 5:00pm, so no late night reporting there then.

In one NPS location (like many) the reception area has gone over to a CRC, which resulted in clients not getting in as the doors were locked. Then it appears that a number of CRC clients turned up there too as they had no idea as to where they were now supposed to report to.

All a bit amusing to those who revel in state sponsored chaos, but no fun for our members’ that’s for sure.

‘Into the community’

Now there won’t be many practitioners who do not support the idea of getting out into the community a bit more, so no worries if you can’t interview someone in your car, because there is always a local cafe, pub, or nearby street corner (best done before the winter nights draw in of course). Most worrying is a suggestion from on high that staff will have to carry cash with them at all times so they can pay the travel-expenses of clients under supervision.

The blog understands that in this instance reassurances are being offered and that mobiles will be issued in case of trouble. Mmm.. but who does one phone these days with no office base to report your last or current whereabouts to? And why not advertise to the whole world that you are walking around town with a heavy brief case and a wad of cash in your pocket?

Say No

While some of these problems have been flagged up in the NPS, it is a fact that a number of the CRC owners are starting to see that they have been taken to the cleaners over hidden accommodation costs and other liabilities. This has resulted in them running back squealing to the MoJ and putting plans in place to drastically reduce their costs.

Napo’s advice to members is simple. These types of working practices are unacceptable and in some cases downright dangerous, so if they are (or are due to be) in place, insist individually and through your union that full risk assessments are undertaken. All of the new ways of working – flexible working/agile working - will have to be risk assessed and TU safety reps are entitled to be involved in this assessment process. Safety reps have the right to visit the new work location to carry out a safety visit-both before staff have started to work from there and after they have started to work from there.

You can also e-mail campaigns@napo.org.uk (from a private e-mail address only) to let us know what’s going on and we will do our best to get you advice and if needs be get the local media involved. Members facing this nonsense should also hold an office or team Napo meeting, instruct their local reps to register a dispute and if you decide that you are prepared to take industrial action we will gladly ballot you at the earliest opportunity.

Your safety and wellbeing is paramount and just too precious to be put at risk.

15 comments:

  1. Annette Hennessey's announced her retirement, she goes at the end of December. Mr Noah from CGM is to takeover and run it in addition to his current area.

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    1. Sounds like there'll be quite a cosy community of well heeled ex-crc ceo's in the Dordogne by 2016.

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    2. Annette continuing as an advisor for Purple Futures to be fair though at least she's stayed till she's 60.

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    3. Who is Mr Noah? What does CGM stand for....genuinely dont know.

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    4. Chris Noah, CEO of Cheshire and Greater Manchester CRC.

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    5. Chris Noah is a woman.

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  2. Yep, there all going around the same time for a nice pay off then turn up in charities or other organisations to milk more money,

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    1. CEO Merseyside CRC new damn well when she was appointed to replace JS on retirement that she would be at this point today. Despite her "I'm with you all the way" speeches.It was patently obvious from the beginning she would be off. Nice to have picked up an OBE (other buggers efforts) along the way. Classless, and lacking gravitas, no loss really.

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    2. give her some slack she's got nearly 40 yrs service and is about to hit the big 60. she could've jumped ship sooner before the transition but she didn't. No matter what your grade we're all in it for self-preservation and reasons that appear selfish to those on the outside looking in. Judging from some of the posts on her about the ex CEO of Cumbria Annette's much more moderate in her approach and as one of her members of staff i'm glad she stayed on.

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    3. Re anon 11:31, following your logic, I should be grateful that my CEO was the cream of the crap! Sorry, but with 40 years of experience I expect leadership; but it was sadly lacking. The big 60 is just a number

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    4. What has the Merseyside CEO got an OBE for?

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    5. One might well ask. Low profile and could ever replace JS

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  3. This Ian Lawrence blog is a bit patronising what does he know about practice work ? Followed by the well being paramount gag. He is joking what has napo done for the loss of our jobs ? Nothing except try and pretend. Toothless Tiger.

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  4. Napo, unison etc should have had the safety & wellbeing of staff uppermost in their minds when they were seduced by & got into bed with the moj & crc's. No use complaining after the fact. All that glistens isn't gold... the result being that the complicit managers have been well rewarded, the unions left hung out to dry whilst probation staff have been force-fed a big, fat sticky shit sandwich. So IL's blog is nothing but extra garnish - which we never ordered but we're still being charged for.

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  5. CRC in the North East are pulling out of offices already, seeing service users in church halls, community centres in rooms next door to creches, exercise classes. Agile working, but we are not expected to work from home, but no-one except the senior managers and corporate staff will have workstations, not even disabled staff, so I will have little choice, I want to keep my home separate from work, I have learned that Napo and Unison are acting against this, thank goodness, but H&S regs are being ignored. I feel so sorry for the service users who have to be called participants, no confidentiality, no relationship and no opportunity to tell us what matters and help us manage risk. This blog should be about what really matters, it is not a gossip column or a tool to shoot us all in both feet.

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