The Health Secretary stated that ambulance unions made a “conscious decision to inflict harm on patients” by walking off the job in a heated dispute over wages.
Steve Barclay has placed the burden squarely on the strikers as thousands of ambulance workers from three unions engage in industrial action today.
Nationwide NHS and ambulance trusts have declared critical events, with some worried that a lack of timely care may result in the death or severe disability of patients.
People have been reminded to make “smart” use of services, contacting 999 only in life-threatening emergencies and avoiding “risky” behavior.
Only services in the east of England and on the Isle of Wight will not be impacted by the strikes.
Today, thousands of ambulance personnel in England and Wales went on strike. Vehicles pictured at the Hollymoor Ambulance Hub in Birmingham
There is concern that the lack of ambulance staff could result in individuals dying or being crippled due to a lack of immediate care. Pictured: police cars stationed at Royal Liverpool Hospital, but no ambulances.
Steve Barclay, secretary of state for health, has criticized unions for “deliberately causing harm to patients.” The Health Secretary is pictured outside 10 Downing Street.
Workers from the Unison, Unite, and GMB unions will participate in today’s walkout, which is the first of its sort in more than three decades.
In places where the strike is occurring, unions have stated that they will only offer coverage for life-threatening emergencies.
This means that the elderly who fall, those who suffer a stroke, and even those who suffer a heart attack may miss out, leading to the possibility that they may be transported to the hospital by taxi.
Mr. Barclay, who had last-ditch discussions with unions last night in an attempt to prevent today’s strikes, stated in today’s Telegraph that they are the ones endangering patient safety.
He stated, “We now understand that the NHS’s contingency preparations will not cover all 999 calls.” The ambulance unions have made a deliberate decision to damage patients.
Unions have criticized the government for not negotiating with them throughout the issue. In addition to wages, they seek measures to improve working conditions and patient safety, they claim.
Christina McAnea, general secretary of Unison, stated yesterday night that if anyone die during the action, it will be “totally” the government’s fault.
Who is on strike?
Today, employees from the GMB, Unison, and Unite unions have walked out of their workplaces.
The following ambulance services in England and Wales will be affected:
North East Ambulance Service National Health Service Foundation Trust
NHS Trust of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service
Midlands Ambulance Service North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust University NHS Trust Foundation
East Middlesex NHS Ambulance Service Charity
South Western Ambulance Service National Health Service Foundation Trust
South Central Ambulance Service National Health Service Charity
South East Coast Ambulance Service National Health Service Foundation Trust
NHS London Ambulance Service Charity
Trust for Welsh Ambulance Services
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust and ambulance personnel on the Isle of Wight will not be affected.
Scottish and Northern Irish employees are also not participating in the strike.
She told TalkTV: ‘The only time they called me in for a meeting was today, the day before the strike, and it’s very irresponsible of them to refuse to begin any kind of conversations or discussions with us.’
Mr. Barclay vowed to avoid the ‘dangerous trap’ of having to negotiate with unions each winter.
He stated, “The British people would not forgive politicians like me if we spent every single winter negotiating with trade unions instead of addressing the country’s very genuine problems.”
However, future industrial action is a looming possibility. On December 28, there will be another ambulance strike, and Ms. McAnea has warned that 999 call handlers may join them.
Ms. McAnea stated, “We have not yet decided how long the evacuation will last or which groups will be evacuated, but our road crews are leaving tomorrow as an example.”
So these are the folks who are out with the ambulances; these are the paramedics, technicians, and specialized paramedics who are dispatched to deal with various situations. They are the ones who will be striking tomorrow.
We have not yet brought out the control room staff. Therefore, those who handle 999 calls will continue to work tomorrow. In reality, they will be quite busy since, as they do every day, they will be the ones triaging all the calls. However, we also have the option of bringing out our 999 members.’
It comes one day after thousands of Royal College of Nursing (RCN) employees walked off the job in a salary dispute with the government.
Other businesses have also seen strikes, including the Border Patrol, the rail industry, the bus industry, and the postal service.
This month, ambulance employees joined nurses, rail workers, Border Force personnel, and postal workers on the picket line.
»Health Secretary warns that ambulance unions have taken a decision to hurt patients«
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