Ambulance workers are on strike on Wednesday, leaving 999 services without staff; however, life-threatening calls will still be attended to. A ministry advised the people during the strike to avoid “risky actions.”
The medical director of NHS England has urged people to “drink responsibly” to avoid ending up in A&E as ambulance staff prepares to strike.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis gave the warning before the planned action on Wednesday, when the health service in England and Wales is expected to be severely disrupted as ambulance staff, including paramedics, control room workers, and technicians, walk out.
Steve Barclay, secretary of state for health, has stated that the British public’s “common sense” should be relied upon to determine what is safe during strike action.
Sir Stephen, issuing the most recent NHS guidance, stated: “There is no doubt that the NHS is under extreme pressure, and industrial action will add to the already record-breaking demand for urgent and emergency care; therefore, it is vital that the general public contributes by judiciously utilizing services.
“People can also help by taking commonsense precautions to keep themselves and others safe during this season and avoid ending up in A&E, such as drinking sensibly or checking on a vulnerable family member or neighbor to ensure they are okay.”
Ministers and NHS executives have stated that individuals can still dial 999 for emergencies, but they should take further precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of others given the strain on health services.
Mr. Barclay was asked if people should be more careful during strikes this week “We must have faith in the common sense of the British populace.
They recognize there will be strains, especially on ambulances.
A spokeswoman for Unite stated that the Tuesday afternoon meeting between the health secretary and union leaders was “pointless” because Mr. Barclay “refused to discuss pay.”
At the meeting, Unite’s national lead officer, Onay Kasab, stated: “It is outrageous that the government is not taking anything to prevent NHS strikes when the unions are willing to negotiate.
“Barclay was only willing to discuss derogations, which was pointless as these had already been discussed and agreed upon at the municipal level.
“His request that the emergency coverage agreements be honored was offensive. As the NHS continues to disintegrate daily, our members are resorting to strike action as a last resort.
Not only are they committed to covering emergency calls tomorrow, but our members will leave picket lines immediately if a trust cannot handle emergencies for whatever reason.”
In a disagreement over salary and working conditions, Royal College of Nursing (RCN) nurses are on strike today and ambulance personnel will walk out on Wednesday.
On Tuesday morning, health minister Will Quince advised the public to avoid “risky activities” during the ongoing ambulance strike, urging individuals to adjust their plans to reduce the risk of injury.
During the strike, ambulance personnel will continue to respond to Category 1 (the most life-threatening circumstances, such as cardiac arrest) and Category 2 (severe conditions, such as stroke or chest pain) calls.
However, according to politicians, there are still uncertainties as to whether all striking ambulance personnel in the NHS will do so.
Mr. Barclay added: “They have stated that they will give coverage for life-threatening situations and emergencies.
“It is crucial that they do so to protect patients, as delays in ambulances have a significant negative impact on patient safety.
“However, the British population will make informed decisions regarding their behavior based on the pressures they perceive in the health system.”
He said that if it was “very icy, you probably shouldn’t go running.”
The spokesperson for the prime minister stated that he would not provide a list of “risky activities” that people should avoid during the ambulance strike.
Several ambulance and hospital trusts throughout the nation had declared critical events by Tuesday lunchtime due to “persistent” and “unprecedented” pressure on services, including high 999 call numbers and hospital handover delays.
