The ambulance service union Unison has agreed a number of measures to provide emergency cover to protect vulnerable patients during the one day strike next week.

The agreement reached with the Yorkshire Ambulance service this week will see A&E vehicles and patient transport vehicles responding to calls from the picket line on Wednesday.

Unison regional organiser Ray Gray said: “We are acutely aware of the service provided by ambulance staff and have been working with the employer to come up with a solution that allows staff to demonstrate their anger at the Government proposals to cut their pension but still enables the service to provide a response.

“Under this agreement Accident and Emergency staff will respond from the picket line in answer to critical or life-threatening calls and patient transport vehicles can respond to essential journeys such as for dialysis and cancer treatment.

“Call takers and dispatchers will also be working in the control room to make sure that the calls are monitored and passed on to the appropriate staff.”