Ambulance staff hold first of two days of strike action
More than 10,000 ambulance staff across Wales and England will take to the picket line today as part of historic industrial action.
Paramedics, Emergency Care Assistants, call handlers and other staff, represented by the GMB Union, voted to strike over the Government’s imposed 4 per cent pay award – another massive real terms pay cut.
Today (Wednesday 21 December) is the first of two days of scheduled strike action, with staff set to stage a walkout on December 28.
It comes just hours after members of the Royal College of Nursing held their second day of industrial action over similar calls for a fair pay rise and improved working conditions.
The Welsh Ambulance Service will be impacted by today’s strike, with 24 per cent of its staff represented by GMB union.
Although agreements have been made to maintain services on strike days, they will be at a vastly reduced level.
The trust is asking the public to only call 999 only for very serious or life-threatening emergencies where there is a risk to life and an ambulance is the only appropriate choice.
An FAQ (frequently asked questions) has been released by the Welsh Ambulance Service on what patients should on during the industrial action:
What does this mean for NHS services in my area?
While not every service will be affected across Wales, there will be a level of disruption in most areas so it’s important you check what the position is where you live.
For more information about how services are affected in your area, head to the website of your local health board or check their social media feeds.
The Welsh Ambulance Service have worked with RCN and GMB colleagues to agree “derogations”. This refers to the services that will continue to be maintained, albeit at a reduced level, on strike days. However, this is a complex process and patients should assume that our services will be significantly affected.
What if i need urgent or emergency care?
If you need urgent care, you should contact your own GP during normal opening hours. If you’re not sure what’s wrong or are unsure what to do next, go to NHS 111 Wales online, which has lots of healthcare advice and a range of symptom checkers that can help you work out the best steps to take.
During the industrial action, our 111 telephone service is also likely to be affected as many of our clinicians and call handlers may be members of striking unions. As a result, please only call 111 if it’s absolutely necessary.
When someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk, you should seek emergency care in the normal way, by calling 999 or attending A&E.
During any strike action, emergency care is still a priority and emergency services will still be available. However, it is likely that only life threatening illnesses or injuries will receive an emergency response. Other patients are likely to be asked to make their own way to hospital.
What should I do if I need an ambulance?
On days where there is strike action, patients should call 999 only for very serious or life-threatening emergencies where there is a risk to life and an ambulance is the only appropriate choice.
By its nature, strike action means that fewer ambulance crews will be available. We will still respond to emergency calls, but this may only be where there is an immediate risk to life.
What if I need to contact 111?
On strike days, there may be fewer clinicians available to triage patients as many of the NHS 111 Wales clinicians may be members of unions who are taking industrial action. This means that you may wait longer to be assessed and to receive a call back.
If your call is not urgent, please go to the NHS 111 Wales website for help and advice.
There, you’ll find symptom checkers and a host of health information, as well as information on the current advice on Strep A, including when to seek medical help.
What about non-emergency patient transport?
While the NEPTS service is also likely to be affected by the GMB action, at this stage the trust is still working through with its TU partners what will happen.
Any patient whose transport is affected by strike action will be contacted as soon as possible to let them know and to offer some advice on alternatives. In addition, WAST may not accept new bookings on days of action and refer you to alter your appointment with the health board.
What can I do to keep WAST services running?
Please only call 999 in a serious or life-threatening emergency to keep our precious resources for those who need us most.
If you’re ill or injured, consider alternatives to 999 like your GP, pharmacist, NHS 111 Wales online or Minor Injuries Unit, and stock up on prescription medications and over the counter remedies to reduce the risk of you falling ill on strike days. Please also take extra care during the cold spell to avoid slips, trips and falls, and accidents on the road.
We know this is a very disruptive time for everyone and we thank you all for your help and support as we work hard to maintain services for those most in need of our life-saving care.
More information can be found on the Welsh Ambulance Service website.
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