Appointments may be canceled if ambulance drivers and paramedics join nurses on picket lines, but there is hope that rail strikes may be avoided.
As part of contingency planning for a probable winter of strikes, members of the armed forces might drive ambulances and fill in for frontline hospital staff.
As ambulance drivers and paramedics anticipate joining nurses on the picket lines in the upcoming months, health and defense officials are formulating a contingency plan.
According to The Times, the government might use military aid to the civil authorities’ protocol (Maca) to maintain essential NHS services amid significant walkouts.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, maca was utilized to assist health professionals with immunizations, testing, and the distribution of protective equipment.
No formal request for assistance has been made by the Department of Health and Social Care to the Ministry of Defence; however, a government spokeswoman confirmed that the government is collaborating with the NHS on a variety of options to “manage disruption to health and care services during industrial action.
She said, “Hospitals will do everything possible to protect the safety of patients and the general public; but, scheduled appointments may have to be canceled and emergency care will be prioritized for only those in need of urgent care.”
This was reiterated by Health Secretary Steve Barker, who stated that “continuing communication with labor unions” is his top goal.
Earlier, Grant Shapps, business secretary, told: “The government always evaluates contingency preparations, but there are no current intentions to do so.
The NHS has prepared for a wide variety of disruptions with a considerable degree of expertise.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union voted last week to strike in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland over salary and working conditions.
Thousands of more health professionals, including midwives, physiotherapists, and junior doctors, are also being balloted for strike action.
Mr. Shapps, when asked about the strikes, stated that the RCN’s demand for a 19% pay increase would feed inflation and may lead to a “spiral” of price increases.
inflation alert
Mark Harper, secretary of transport, stated on Sunday that public sector wage increases in pace with surging inflation are “unaffordable.”
However, Kevin Rowan, head of public services at the Trades Union Congress (TUC), stated that denying inflation-busting pay increases was a “political choice.”
“If they taxed capital gains and inheritance tax at the same rate as income tax, there would be enough money to pay every single health worker that salary increase,” he told. “However, they choose to tax employees and not wealth.”
Therefore, the government is making political decisions and resources are accessible.
When asked how he felt about the possibility that the military could be called upon to assist hospitals, he responded: “It does not sit well with me that hundreds of thousands of health workers have felt so pressed and mistreated in terms of pay over the past 12 years that they feel the only way to get the government to listen to them is to engage in industrial action.
“It’s a genuine embarrassment for this government that we’ve reached this point.”
Rail strike hint
The United Kingdom may experience a wave of strikes this winter, as workers from various industries plan to walk out over pay and working conditions.
Mr. Harper stated that there is “simply no money” to meet the demands of workers planning industrial action, but hinted at progress in rail strike negotiations.
After holding “good” discussions with Train, Maritime, and Transport (RMT) union general secretary Mick Lynch, he signaled a change in the mandate for negotiations and stated that pay raises may be forthcoming if rail workers accept reforms.
Next month, nurses will conduct their first nationwide strike action, joining transport and postal workers on the picket lines in disputes over wages and working conditions.
Which industries are going on strike this winter, and why?
Mr. Harper stated on Sky’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday: “Pay increases that match or exceed inflation are unaffordable.
“I believe we should attempt to provide all public sector employees who work very hard compensation raises that are commensurate with inflation.
“Given the circumstances, there just isn’t enough money to pay for those; we haven’t seen them in the private sector either; private sector wage increases have generally been settled below the rate of inflation, which I recognize is difficult for people.”
Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will go on strike on December 15 and 20 if the conflict is not addressed.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay has asked the nursing union to “return to the table” for negotiations, but he will not address compensation. Instead, he wants to discuss circumstances such as pensions, holidays, schedules, and free coffee.
Pat Cullen, general secretary of the RCN, wrote to Mr. Barclay with the message “negotiations or nothing”
Over the past decade, according to data from the London School of Economics, the real incomes of experienced nurses have decreased by 20%. This means that nurses are working one day every week for free.
