NHS bosses spend £1,000,000 a week on private ambulances

Private ambulance companies are earning millions of pounds during the largest healthcare service strike in history, according to research by trade union Unison. 

The union has found that over £1m is being spent every week on private ambulance firms to cover emergency calls, with bosses booking private emergency vehicles and crews up to a year in advance to be available to respond to emergencies such as road traffic accidents and strokes. 

Unison claims that this commercial approach is a short-term sticking plaster that highlights a lack of long-term planning and government investment in ambulance services, which are in crisis with patients waiting long periods for help, or worse, dying before crews arrive. 

The union called on ministers to provide proper funding and pay staff fairly to address the increasing demand. Unison is publishing these figures following the acceptance of a government pay offer by its members, which included a 5% increase and a one-off payment of £1,655. However, members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union have rejected the same offer and are set to strike over the first May bank holiday.