Yorkshire Ambulance Service on strike as they urge public to use service 'only when life-threatening'

Strike action by UNISON members is planned for today, Monday 23 January,and all services

operated by the Trust will be impacted.

This includes A&E Operations such as frontline emergency ambulances and 999 call handling, non-emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS) and NHS 111.

Nick Smith, Executive Director of Operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “During the previous two strike days, the public responded as we’d asked them to and used our emergency service appropriately for very serious and life-threatening incidents.

“This was very helpful and much appreciated.

“With continued operational pressures and further industrial action across all of our services, we will have less resources available to respond to patients on Monday 23 January.”

This industrial action is part of a national pay dispute with the government.

Union membership in Yorkshire Ambulance Service of UNISON is approximately 3,000 staff, out of a workforce of over 7,000, meaning that services will be severely disrupted.

There is a likelihood of delays in emergency responses and telephone calls to 999 and NHS 111 being answered.

Mr Smith added: “So, once again, we are urging the public to use all of our services wisely, but particularly our emergency ambulance service. We will be here for those who really need us, but you should only call 999 when someone is in a life-threatening or very serious condition as we prioritise our responses.

“Ambulances will still be able to respond during the strike, but this will only be where there is an immediate risk to life. Less serious calls may not receive a response or a significantly delayed response for the duration of the strike action and some patients might be asked to make their own way to hospital, where it is safe for them to so.

“Patients waiting for an ambulance should only call back if their symptoms worsen or to cancel an ambulance if alternative transport has been arranged, so that our lines are available to take new emergency calls.

People can seek help and advice from alternative healthcare providers, including NHS 111 Online (111.nhs.uk), their own GP or by visiting a pharmacist.