The NHS has said that the advice to people is still to ring 999, despite ambulance workers part of the GMB union currently striking in a dispute over pay and working conditions for the second time today. The advice comes from Dr Vin Diwaker from NHS England who gave his thoughts on BBC Breakfast.
Speaking on the show on Wednesday, January 11, the NHS medical director for secondary care Dr Vin Diwaker, said: “Our main focus is that those people who have life threatening illnesses have safe services and that’s why I’m confident in saying to the public, ring 999. That is the most important message I can give.
“There will be disruption on a strike day. That is going to be inevitable, so if you don’t have a life threatening illness but you need an ambulance, your call handler may advise you that you have to wait longer than normal for an ambulance or that you may have to make your own way to hospital.”
Thousands of paramedics and ambulance staff are on strike in England and Wales.
Dr Vin Diwaker from NHS England had this advice on #BBCBreakfasthttps://t.co/szMb8DZSKl pic.twitter.com/zolq5JHvkl— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast)
Read more: Thousands of ambulance workers go on strike in dispute over pay
In addition, Jon Richards from Unison noted on BBC Breakfast that he is optimistic about progress in wage negotiations with the Government despite the fact that thousands of ambulance workers are on strike in England and Wales. Speaking about the mass walk out from GMB union members, he said: “Inevitably there will be more disruption than there is on a normal day and it’s not a position we particularly want to put people in.
“But we’ve been trying to resolve this dispute now for several months, and we’ve been trying to talk to the government about pay for a long, long time. And only on Monday did they finally start to talk to us about the basis for our dispute.
“I think we’ve seen a chink of light to be honest and that’s something we’re pleased about. The government have started to talk about pay.
“It is a dispute fundamentally about pay but the consequence of not paying ambulance workers enough, particularly at a time where the cost of living and inflation is increasing at such a rate- the problem is that has a knock on effect on the service.
“So, yes, we see some progress but we haven’t had an offer, we haven’t had anything in writing.”
Many of those on the picket line have been up since the early hours, trying to spread the message about why they are striking. A spokesperson for GMB Wales and South West said on Twitter: “Our brave, overworked and underpaid ambulance staff are out on strike again today.
Time for the UK government to realise they’ve got it wrong, come back to the table and #TalkPayNow.”
Our brave, overworked and underpaid ambulance staff are out on strike again today.
Time for the UK government to realise they’ve got it wrong, come back to the table and #TalkPayNow https://t.co/BH7z7X0FYM— GMB Wales & South West (@GMBWSW)
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