Ambulance strikes latest: Paramedics leave picket line to attend emergencies

Ambulance workers in London are on strike this morning with the government over pay and working conditions.

A union leader has defended ambulance workers who cross the picket line to respond to emergency calls.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “I don’t think so [crossing the picket line] It weakens the strike action at all.

“When they’re coming out on the blue lights, we’re applauding when they come out, because we know they’re treating patients where they want to be.

“Where I want to be is to treat patients, so we’ve tried to do our best to make sure patients don’t suffer,” he continued.

“If there is a category one incident we are proud that they go to treat patients who need critical care.”

During strike action, NHS staff still respond to and prioritize emergency and life-threatening calls.

Almost all ambulance trusts in England have declared serious incidents, with high pressures and disruptions putting patients at potential risk.

Many trusts said they were struggling before strikes began on Wednesday, with thousands of ambulance workers and paramedics taking action in a dispute over pay and conditions.

A critical incident is defined by the NHS as: “The level of attack occurs when the organization temporarily or permanently loses the ability to provide critical services, patients may be harmed or the environment is unsafe, requiring special measures and support. other organizations to restore normal operations”.

Declaring a critical incident on Monday, the East of England Ambulance Service’s NHS service in that region was “under significant pressure due to high volumes of 999 calls and delays in hospital handovers”.

The service said declaring a critical incident would “enable us to ensure our resources are focused on patients in greatest need, as well as access wider support from our health and care partners”.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service said it declared the incident on Tuesday as a result of “high demand pressures affecting our ability to respond to patients safely”.

South Central Ambulance Service said on Tuesday it was “under extreme pressure, which increased over the weekend and has continued this week”.

Industrial action planned for this month “may add further pressure”.

Pregnant women are advised against home births and if necessary during strikes, call trias as soon as possible.

Delays in ambulance services due to strike action mean expectant mothers may experience delays in emergency cases.

NHS Lewisham and Greenwich Trust wrote: “We understand that potential delays in ambulance response times may be of concern to those planning a home birth. In light of this, we recommend that you give birth on the day of the strike at one of our Birth Centres.

“We recognize that this advice may be disappointing, but we are committed to ensuring that the safety of our women and people in labor is maintained at all times.

“If you make an informed decision to labor and deliver at home during that period, home birth midwives will still be there to provide care,” they continued. “However, this can put you and your baby’s safety at risk.

“If an ambulance is not available, delays in treatment can occur, which can affect the health and well-being of the mother and/or baby.”

Ambulance workers are on strike outside Liverpool’s Royal Liverpool University Hospital this morning following a dispute with the government over pay and conditions.

Pregnant mothers are being told that there is “no guarantee” that an ambulance or paramedics will come during the strikes.

Women nearing their due date are advised to make alternative plans to get to the hospital, such as by car or taxi.

“Women who are expecting a child, if there is a possibility of giving birth on one of the days of the strike, there is no guarantee that an ambulance or paramedic will come to your home during labor or in the event of an emergency.” said Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

“Please make sure you plan to go to the hospital, for example by car or taxi. If you think you are in labor or have any concerns call our Maternity Triage Department immediately

A Welsh Ambulance Service has been called outside the picket line to respond to emergency calls, a GMB union representative said.

Nathan Holman, the union’s South West and Wales representative, tweeted a video of himself at Pentwyn service station in Cardiff just before 8am on Wednesday – less than an hour into the day’s walkout.

Mr Holman said: “Here I am on the picket line outside Pentwyn Ambulance Station.

“Unfortunately, all the members had to go, as you can see behind me, because there is only one vehicle left, they all jumped into a vehicle and answered the emergency calls.

“So it shows that we’re still responding to the public.”

Around 1,500 ambulance workers in Wales are expected to take part in Wednesday’s industrial action.

Crews are yet to respond to critical 999 calls, but the service is still expected to be “significantly impacted”, according to the Welsh Government.

A 93-year-old woman was left “screaming in pain” on the floor of her care home for 25 hours waiting for an ambulance to arrive, her family say.

Elizabeth Davies suffered a broken hip after suffering a fall at a care home in North West Wales at the weekend.

Derbyshire’s health and care system has withdrawn a serious incident due to pressure on services reaching new levels in the past 24 hours.

The service is seeing an increase in the number of patients arriving at hospital by ambulance and increasing waiting times in emergency departments.

For people to only call 999 or go to A&E if it’s an emergency, staff try to manage and relieve pressure by offering more beds, canceling non-essential training and diverting staff.

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said it was “highly likely” the strikes would continue into the new year.

Ms McAnea said the NHS is “burning” under this government and is “really surprised” there has been little emergency planning by health secretary Steve Barclay.

Speaking on LBC Radio, he said it was “absolute nonsense” and “a complete and utter lie” to suggest that it was almost impossible for the unions to make plans for the government.

“I think they’re covering up that he waited until the day before the strike to ask about contingency planning,” he said.

Asked how the audience should respond between strikes if they had a road accident, fell off a bicycle or fell down a flight of stairs, he said: “They should be as worried on other days as they are today, because those are the cases where it’s almost impossible to get an ambulance out because the ambulances are so stretched.” .

Ms McAnea said there were thousands of staff vacancies and “the NHS, the whole system is basically collapsing under this government”.

The union leader added that it was “absolutely possible” that strikes would take place in the new year, adding that the government should “come clean” with workers that they are unable to provide a safe and reliable service due to lack of staff and poor planning.