‘Significant escalation’ in strike action, warns ambulance chief

Ambulance chiefs have warned of a ‘significant escalation’ in the strike action being planned by unions next week – saying the flexibilities that helped deal with previous walk-outs will no longer be available.

In a letter to local NHS leaders, seen by HSJ, North West Ambulance Service said unions are “becoming more stringent in their approach”, and the trust’s ability to respond to incidents will be severely weakened.

For the last day of strike action in February, the GMB union told NWAS it was abandoning exemptions (derogations) for category 2 calls, which include heart attacks and strokes.

The NWAS letter, sent yesterday, said the Unite union also now intends to take this approach on 6 March.

Last month the head of the London Ambulance Service said the reduced level of service in the capital “causes harm to our patients”

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Source: HSJ, 2 March 2023