Four more days of strikes by paramedics, including coordinated action with nurses, could lead to “the biggest day of strikes the NHS has ever seen,” trust leaders warn.
The GMB union announced on Wednesday that more than 10,000 ambulance workers, including paramedics, first responders and first responders, were on Monday, February 6, Monday, February 20, Monday, March 6, and Monday, March 20 . Due to the fierce dispute, payment and terms will continue. beat.
The nurses will also go on strike on Monday 6 February, meaning further massive disruption is expected across the NHS in England and Wales on that date. Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) will also go on strike on Tuesday 7 February.
Saffron Corderi, interim director of NHS Providers representing the trusts, said: “The trusts have been warning for months that coordinated strikes are possible if the government and unions do not reach an early wage agreement this year.
“The prospect of a strike by paramedics and nurses on the same day is very disturbing. This may be the biggest day of strikes the NHS has ever seen.
“No one in the NHS wants more strikes, including staff joining the pickets. Trust leaders understand why overworked employees have reached this point in the face of chronic understaffing and ever-increasing demand and pressure. We need ministers to urgently meet with unions to resolve the most important wage issue of this fiscal year, otherwise there will be no light at the end of the tunnel.”
In addition, the West Midlands Ambulance Service will go on strike on January 23rd and the GMB North West Ambulance Service on January 24th. life-threatening situations.
The latest figures from NHS England show that last month 37,000 people with emergencies such as a stroke or heart attack had to wait more than three hours and 40 minutes for an ambulance in December. The average response time for category 2 emergency calls was one hour and 32 minutes, while one in ten patients in this category waited three hours and 41 minutes or longer.
Waiting times for “urgent” cases – conditions such as late labour, minor burns and bouts of diabetes – also hit record highs in December. The average response time for category 3 ambulance calls was 4 hours and 18 minutes, and 8,700 patients with these conditions waited more than 11 hours.
During the prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Keir Starmer touched on the case of Stephanie, a 26-year-old cancer patient from Plymouth who died while waiting for an ambulance just 4 miles from a hospital on Jan. 4. The Labor leader urged the Prime Minister to apologize for the “deadly mess he is watching”.
GMB National Secretary Rachel Harrison said: “GMB ambulance crews are furious. In their own words, “they are ready.” Our message to the government is clear: speak now, pay now. Ministers exacerbated the situation by demonizing paramedics who saved lives and limbs during strike days by playing political games with their scare tactics.
“The only way to resolve this dispute is to offer reasonable wages. But the cold, dead arms of 10 and 11 Downing Street seem to be holding it back. In the face of government inaction, we have no choice but to go on strike.
Earlier, RCN General Secretary and CEO Pat Cullen apologized to patients for the nurses’ strike, but said they were “desperate to save the NHS” by going on strike. The nurses have called for a 5 percent pay rise over retail inflation, which is currently over 19 percent, but Ms Cullen said she was willing to go along with the government, but so far without success.
Ms Cordery said: “The Trusts are planning and preparing industry actions to support staff and are doing everything they can to minimize the impact on patients and day-to-day activities. But with an incredibly high number of emergency room visits and delays in the discharge of patients from hospital beds, which seriously hampers the work of overburdened emergency services, the situation is likely to worsen if these strikes continue.”
Health Minister Steve Barclay stressed that he was working “constructively” with unions, but said he was “disappointed” with the strikes. “The losers are the patients,” he said.
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.