SERIOUS disruption is expected as ambulance workers are set to strike for a second time in action planned for tomorrow (Wednesday).

Paramedics, emergency care assistants, call handlers and other staff will stage major pickets in Bradford and across the region.

Workers across the ambulance services and some NHS Trusts have voted to strike over the Government’s imposed four per cent pay award, which the union says is another real terms pay cut.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said: "Ambulance workers across England and Wales will go on strike for the second time.

“GMB cancelled a planned strike over the Christmas period to say thank you to the public for their incredible support.

“It also allowed time for the Government to talk to us about pay, but Ministers have dithered and postured, wasting valuable time.

"To end this dispute, GMB needs a concrete offer to help resolve the NHS’s crushing recruitment and retention crisis.”

During forthcoming industrial action, Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust is, once again, urging people to only dial 999 for an ambulance where a patient has a life-threatening or very serious condition.

Strike action by GMB members is anticipated for 24 hours, between midnight and midnight on Wednesday.

Strike action by UNISON members is anticipated between 10am and 10pm on the same day across all services. 

All services operated by the Trust will be impacted, including A&E operations (frontline emergency ambulances and 999 call handling), non-emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS) and NHS 111.

The ambulance service has put a number of contingency plans in place to allow it to respond to high acuity life-threatening and very serious cases during the strike.

Nick Smith, Executive Director of Operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “During the strike held just before Christmas, the public responded as we’d asked them to and used our emergency service appropriately for very serious and life-threatening incidents. 

“With continued operational pressures and further industrial action across all of our services, we will have fewer resources available to respond on Wednesday, January 11.

“Services will be severely disrupted, with the likelihood of significant delays in emergency responses and telephone calls to 999 and NHS 111 being answered.

“So, we are urging the public to use all of our services more wisely, but particularly the emergency ambulance service. We will be here for those who really need us, but you should only call 999 when someone is in a life-threatening or very serious condition as we prioritise our responses.

“Ambulances will still be able to respond during the strike, but this will only be where there is an immediate risk to life. Less serious calls may not receive a response or a significantly delayed response and some patients might be asked to make their own way to hospital, where it is safe for them to so.”

“We also ask people seek help and advice from alternative healthcare providers, including NHS 111 Online (111.nhs.uk), their own GP or by visiting a pharmacist.”

 

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