More than 15,000 workers with three unions are walking out over pay (Picture: PA)
More than 15,000 ambulance workers belonging to three unions have walked out across England and Wales for the third time in five weeks.
Union bosses admitted emergency services will be ‘impacted’ as only enough staff will stay behind to guarantee life-threatening 999 calls are attended to.
Other calls, including strokes and some heart attack situations, will be assessed and striking workers will leave the picket lines if there is ‘risk to life and limb’.
‘Less urgent’ emergencies such as wounds and going into labour will not be prioritised, although doctors have said people should still call for help if in doubt.
Fresh strikes were called over an ongoing pay dispute and are set to escalate even further on February 6 when nurses join the walk-out.
Unions maintain the government is not paying staff ‘fairly’, while ministers insist there is not enough money for above-inflation pay risees.
The striking workers include an estimated 15,000 Unison members, other ambulance staff with Unison and Unite, as well as 5,000 medical workers across several hospitals in Liverpool.
Unison’s head of health, Sara Gorton, said staff would rather be at work but ‘strikes have to have an impact in order for them to be taken seriously’.
Crews will only automatically attend life-threatening 999 calls (Picture: PA)
Unions say staffing levels are being worsened by insufficient pay (Picture: PA)
She told BBC Breakfast on Monday: ‘And that’s why it’s been such a difficult decision for lots of those people to vote for strike action, to take it.
‘And it’s why it’s so frustrating that, after two days of strike action and some positive progress, that the Government hasn’t done what they need to do in order to get the strikes called off – which is to commit to putting extra funding in and to sit down and start formal talks.
‘Ultimately none of those people that are out on strike want to be there – they want to be doing the jobs that they love, and those jobs have just been compromised on a day-to-day basis.’
All NHS staff in England and Wales recently received an average pay increase of 4.75%.
General 999 services will be severely delayed throughout Monday (Picture: PA)
Those earning the least have received larger proportionate rises as they were guaranteed increases of at least £1,400 a year.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: ‘It is hugely disappointing some ambulance workers are continuing to take industrial action. While we have contingency plans in place to mitigate risks to patient safety, there will inevitably be further disruption.
‘It is important people continue coming forward for treatment – call 999 in life-threatening emergencies and use NHS 111 online, local pharmacies and GP services for non-life-threatening care.
‘I have had constructive talks with unions about this coming year’s pay process for 2023/24, and am keen to continue talking about what is affordable and fair.’
The walk-out includes paramedics, emergency care assistants, ambulance technicians, other 999 crew members and control room staff.
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Only life-threatening 999 calls will be automatically attended to as unions say the strikes ‘have to have an impact to be taken seriously’.
