Several hospitals have reported critical incidents as emergency rooms run to capacity and NHS leaders fail to keep patients safe ahead of an ambulance strike on Wednesday.
At least seven out of 10 English ambulance services as well as the Welsh ambulance service also reported critical incidents and reported critical incidents on Tuesday with up to 25,000 paramedics, 999 call attendants and other emergency services on standby leave the country for the first time in 30 days. years.
The Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan said: “Our emergency room is overcrowded. Come only in case of danger to life.
North East Coast, South East Coast and East Anglia ambulance services said they made the decision due to pressure, including the number of 999 calls and delays in transfers to hospital.
South Central Ambulance said it “has been under constant pressure on our 999 and 111 services for over a week, which has significantly impacted our ability to respond to patients.” Yorkshire Ambulance Service blamed “significant demand-side pressure affecting the ability to respond to patients safely”.
A number of hospitals also reported critical incidents as they struggled to meet demand for services. Among them was the Albert Edward Royal Infirmary in Wigan, which said: “Our emergency room is overcrowded. Come only in case of danger to life.
As the ambulance strike approaches, the director of the NHS Confederation, which represents most of the NHS organizations, wrote to Rishi Sunak demanding an end to the pay dispute to protect patients.
Matthew Taylor said in his letter to the Prime Minister: “NHS leaders are very concerned about the degree of harm and risks that patients may face. [on Wednesday] and further. This is something NHS leaders would never say lightly, but now many are telling us that they cannot guarantee the safety of patients. It was only for health reasons that we entered dangerous territory.”
Members of the Royal College of Nursing went on strike again on Tuesday, threatening to escalate the strike in January if the government refuses to talk about wage increases. Members of Unison, GMB and Unite are due to leave 10 of 11 ambulance funds in England and Wales on Wednesday, with only life and health insurance guaranteed.
Some ambulance trusts may only have 20 to 30 percent of the normal crew size, as they have warned that the 12-hour strike could shut down work for up to three days. Mr Taylor said NHS leaders were “particularly concerned” about the risk of understaffing for category 2 calls such as heart attacks and strokes.
He said: “NHS leaders are concerned that the risk to patients from planned future strikes will only increase. Unless the government manages to negotiate with the trade unions on a quick end to the dispute. We urge the government to make every effort to reach a peaceful solution, otherwise more citizens will suffer needlessly.”
Earlier, Mr Taylor said: “We never want to alarm people, but we have reached a stage where our leaders feel it necessary to say that they cannot guarantee the safety of patients, that they are aware of the risks involved.” strikes are unavoidable. We are particularly concerned about the paramedic strike, but we are also concerned about the possibility of further strikes.”
He added: “All we have to say is that if the government is unwilling to negotiate wages, there will be no negotiations, if there are no negotiations, there will be strikes, and if there are strikes, there will be risk, there will be harm. patients. Our job is just to get this across to the public, politicians and unions.”
data leaked Journal of Health suggests that the average response time for category 2 ambulance calls, which should be answered within 18 minutes, was over an hour on Monday for nine out of ten UK ambulance services. For five trusts, the average response time was over two hours.
The country’s chief paramedic hinted that patients with a heart attack and stroke on Wednesday could wait so long for an ambulance that their health could be on the verge of life or death.
Dr. John Martin, president of the College of Paramedics, told Health and Human Services committee members on Tuesday that security is not “black and white.”
He said, “It’s not one or the other. Right now, today, we are seeing long delays in patients. Now many patients are waiting for an ambulance. Wednesday, despite the anomalies, is likely to be even worse. But with this coverage of life and life, paramedics across the country will be desperate to protect patients.
“However, I think it is important to note that category 1 calls – those who come in at this time and appear to be alive and members – will get answered and the unions are hard at work on how this will happen. Looks. This is a category 2 and below group that may not start out as a life and health emergency and this is what we are seeing today and (probably Wednesday) getting worse over time and eventually becoming a life and health emergency in which they clearly fit (category 1). ) then”.
He added: “This is happening today, even before we go on strike on Wednesday.”
Heart UK CEO Jules Payne said it was important that heart attack patients receive timely care during the ambulance strike.
He said: “Heart attack patients and their families have the right to expect that anyone in need of emergency care will receive expert care quickly despite the strikes.”
Rachel Harrison, the GMB’s national secretary, told members of the Health Committee that ambulance strikes would continue if the health secretary did not want to discuss wages. She said that category 1 would be covered by staff and suggested that other categories be harmonized in most areas.
Ms Harrison said coverage will vary by service, but added: “We will do our best to keep communities safe during this action. The government needs to do their part, they need to sit down at the negotiating table and talk to us.”
Unite leader Sharon Graham accused the government of intimidating the public. She said: “It’s time to call a spade a spade. The unions have agreed to cover tomorrow’s life-threatening catastrophes (category 1 cases) and serious cases such as heart attack and stroke (category 2 cases). This has been coordinated with a large number of local NHS funds. To be frank, the government is at best misleading the public, and at worst deliberately causing panic.”
Northeast Ambulance Service (NEAS), one of three trusts where all three union members are on strike, said it expects “the majority” of its more than 3,000 employees to go on strike. Category 2 calls will be covered “and calls assessed by a physician and classified as dangerous to life or health.”
The Ambulance Trusts don’t know exactly how many workers will be on strike as of Wednesday morning, urging the public to only dial 999 in a life-threatening situation. Typical emergencies include cardiac arrest, loss of consciousness, incessant convulsions, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding or allergic reactions, and severe head trauma. The Northwestern Ambulance Service said patients who do not fall into these categories but need hospital treatment should consider taking a taxi or giving a ride to relatives or friends.
Several trusts are cutting back on patient transportation services and hiring private providers to ensure non-emergency transportation is available. NEAS stated that this “also maximizes the use of our volunteer drivers.”
Some 1,200 troops will also support the trusts during strikes, with a focus on transporting patients with less serious illnesses and supporting discharge services. All unions have agreed that if a major incident is discovered, their members will respond.
Health workers unions have warned of more strikes by paramedics next month after meeting with Health Secretary Steve Barclay on Tuesday afternoon.
Pat Cullen, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “With the end of today’s strike, the prime minister’s clock is ticking. We have two days when we can get together and change everything before Christmas.
“By Friday, we will announce the dates and hospitals for next month’s strike.
“Westminster may close tonight for Christmas but the nursing staff is gearing up for their shifts over the next two weeks and looking forward to the New Year.
“We’re not looking for a miracle, just the fair pay and recognition that comes with a gift from the prime minister.”
Union leader Christina Makani said: “He was concerned about the strike, sympathetic to the paramedics and other healthcare workers, but he doesn’t seem to have any wiggle room so I don’t know where we’re going with this.
“I am a negotiator, and I believe that you are ready to compromise, ready to talk about the framework in which you can make decisions. But we don’t have a free hand in that, so their position is set and we have no choice but to decide on a strike and consider going on strike in January.”
Mr Barclay said: “Ultimately the demands of unions are prohibitive in these difficult times, but as I said before, I am open to working with unions to see how we can make the NHS a better place to work.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.