Letter from NHS England to ICBs and Trusts regarding the upcoming ambulance industrial action (16 December 2022)

Summary

Letter from Sir David Sloman Chief, Operating Officer NHS England, Professor Sir Stephen Powis, National Medical Director NHS England, and Dame Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer, to ICBs and Trusts regarding the upcoming ambulance industrial action.

Content

Trade unions representing some NHS staff are in dispute with the Government over the 2022/23 pay award. In addition to the RCN strike action on 15 and 20 December, GMB, Unite, and Unison members will take part in industrial action with nine ambulance trusts expected to be affected on 21 December and eight ambulance trusts expected to be affected on 28 December.

This letter outlines three essential measures:

1. Ensure measures are in place to enable all ambulances to handover patients no later than 15 minutes after arrival.
2. Free up maximum bed capacity by safely discharging patients, working closely with system partners, in advance of industrial action.
3. Confirm system-level operational plans for the days of ambulance industrial action with NHS England regional teams by 16:00 Monday 19 December to allow for any additional support to be considered and arranged. These plans must include how Emergency Departments will ensure the release of all ambulances within 15 minutes.