Wales Group receiving callouts in Mid Wales

[MarkM_Wales]

The Powys and Wales Groups were put on standby by Powys EPO this morning and have dealt with a number of callouts during the course of the day with more scheduled for tomorrow - primarily providing transport for care workers to visit vulnerable clients in remote locations.



The recently developed callout system was tested today which requires volunteers to visit the council website, log on, and provide availability details for the next 5 days. This enables the duty room controllers to see at a glance who is available on a 3 shift basis and they can sort by postcode, vehicle capability and driver skill level. The system is proving to be an effective tool and we now have an opportunity to dubug under live conditions. A number of policy and procedural improvements have already been identified.



we have also received a request from Swansea, Neath and Port Talbot EPO to possible go on standby this evening.

[Matt Powys]

I have just returned from a callout for Powys Careline, involving transporting two carers around Elan Village, Rhayader, St Harmons, and back. All went well.

[darrel dudley]

Got a text message off PowysV4x4G when i was at work, I didn't know where or who to log on.

I don't think it was very well handled at all. Me and my wife had to go to county hall and talk to someone in the careline, we then had to sort drivers out, even though we are just responders. The wife then got a phone call off some man wanting a list of drivers for 24hour coverage in half an hour. If it wasn't for Gayle it would of gone proper tits up.

I feel disillusioned about the group and want to leave

[Matt Powys]

To be fair, I had two non-starters too. One where I got as far as contacting the carer I was supposed to be transporting and arranging a time, then got a call to cancel the request for assistance as part of the route was apparently impassible. Another where I was requested to assist at lunchtime then bumped to an evening run (the one I posted earlier). I didn't really mind, although I would have preferred that they went through our chain of command, if only so that our rough whereabouts would be recorded in case of emergency. As it was, I contacted another responder who was on a similar shout in the area and we agreed to contact each other when we arrived home. If one of us didn't call in, the other would raise the alarm.



I'm not trying to be awkward, just saying we need better communications. The Powys Careline people I dealt with were very polite and grateful for the help, but they're not experts in 4x4s and shouldn't need to be. As Alasdair says, you wouldn't call lifeboat crew individually, you'd call the RNLI and they'd sort it out.

[MarkM_Wales]

It comes as no surprise that when the system was tested for real yesterday for the first time, a number of operational and communication issues were highlighted which will be addressed by ourselves and the EPO over the next few days.



Unfortunately, with any such new system, until you get a chance to test it in a live situation you don't really know if you have addressed all the issues in structure and design.



The reality is that as the issues were highlighted during the course of the day, ongoing dialogue with the EPO enabled us to resolve a number and create an agenda for a review meeting this pm to deal with those that remain.



It is rather naive to expect such a system to work first time straight out of the box with no need to review and adapt structure and procedures - this is continuous improvement.



Onwards and upwards!

[Matt Powys]

I have just returned from my second callout of the current flap, road conditions do seem to be improving dramatically by the hour. Similar to the previous one but in the Builth Wells/Hundred House/Franksbridge area. I was not so concerned about going solo in daylight and with snow melting, but still feel night calls to remote areas should have two vehicles sent.

[lee sund]

I have just returned from my second callout of the current flap, road conditions do seem to be improving dramatically by the hour. Similar to the previous one but in the Builth Wells/Hundred House/Franksbridge area. I was not so concerned about going solo in daylight and with snow melting, but still feel night calls to remote areas should have two vehicles sent.



I would have to agree ! if there was a threat to life.

you would not go off road with no back up !

if the worst was to happen, we are requiered ( wessex ) to have the kit in the back to survive an over night car stay.



one member on here got stuck on the moors and had to be recovered the next day, last time there was snow up there.



But ! as it says, its up to you ? don’t put yourself in danger. we are after all said and done volunteers and allowed to say no.

[darrel dudley]

Dear All,



Thank you for your constructive comments, Darrel (my husband) posted on here as he was so upset by the way that call outs were handled on Monday and the fact that when I raised my concerns with our group leader the response I got caused me so much upset that I felt the only route for me was to leave.



We have been running as a group for 3 years and yes this was the first time we've been relied on by Powys council to offer support but one comment by our leader has me so upset I felt it must be brought to the public arena



I think that it was unrealistic to expect everything to go super smooth with the callout system from the outset especially as it wasn't supposed to be tested for another week or so but was implemented due to the adverse weather.



As I said we've been set up as a group for 3 years.. In an remote rural area... and my only real concern was that we had no loan work protocol so one member went on a call without even the group leader knowing until he got back. Yes he was an experianced driver and nothing happened, but my worry was, if something had would we, as a group had, known.



I really feel hurt by what has happened as I had made many good friend through the group, who I will remain in contact with, and I truely believe that the group principals are great. I just wish that we were in better order. I got told off for Darrel posting what he did on here, but the comments made gives me great hope that our group will take on board the advice given and progress to become an excellent service.



Thank you, and good luck



Gayle

(NOT DARREL)

[Pete Chambers]

Hi Gayle, I am really sorry to read that you feel that you need to leave over this issue, but please think hard about it and make no rash decisions too soon,

It's issues like this where your input is really useful when it comes to getting the problem sorted and i feel that if you do leave then it kinda leaves the group with only words and heresay to sort it out with, and its the chinesse whisper effect.

Heres hoping you can at least give the guys and gals at least a little more time to sort this before making your mind up wether to quit or not.

Many regards,, Pete