Senior North East medics are urging the public to again ensure they only call 999 in life-threatening scenarios given the added pressure NHS services are likely to face during Wednesday's ambulance service strikes.
Staff from two unions - UNISON and GMB - are walking out for the second time this winter and this will affect the North East Ambulance Service, though paramedics will continue to attend the most serious calls. However, to help protect the service, top NHS figure Dr Neil O'Brien said delays were likely.
Dr O'Brien, executive medical director of the NHS's North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, said: "With greater disruption to services expected as more teams will be unavailable due to the industrial action, we really need the public's support to only call for an ambulance in a life threatening emergency.
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"We are expecting services to be very busy, with long delays expected at a time when services are already under significant pressure. We do have plans in place to ensure the safety of those patients who may need our help in an emergency, and we are putting into practice all we have learnt from the industrial action last month."
Members of the public have also been urged to consider getting advice from other sources - including pharmacists - rather than calling 999 or heading to A&E. Dr O'Brien added: "People can get advice and treatment for a range of common illnesses from their local pharmacy, which is often a more convenient way to get the help you need.
"Pharmacists can also advise when to contact your GP practice, especially if symptoms persist and you are not getting any better."
This comes as union bosses told the Government to work with them, and slammed plans for new legislation to curb strike action.
Business Secretary Grant Shapps introduced plans to introduce new laws requiring minimum levels of service from striking ambulance staff, firefighters and railway workers in the House of Commons. The Government said these measures would "balances the ability to strike with the need to protect the public".
The UNISON General Secretary Christina McAnea said: "Ministers can’t make these disputes disappear simply by making up new laws. Health workers are stretched beyond breaking point. They don’t need lecturing on providing safe patient care by a Government that’s spent the past decade starving the health service of funding and underpaying staff.
"Ministers have finally got around the table to talk about the one issue that will solve this dispute – a wage boost. But that positive move risks being undermined by needlessly attacking health workers and their unions."
Ms McAnea said the UNISON had worked hard to secure patient safety, and added: "In fact, ambulance employers praised the union for the role it played in drawing up local emergency cover plans in December. Last time, staff didn’t hesitate to leave picket lines when someone’s life was in danger.
“After a decade of refusing to bring in minimum staffing levels in the NHS 365 days a year, It’s ironic that the Government is only prepared to do so during a strike." She said Government ministers "should be putting all their energies" into solving the dispute, not "worsening relations".
Speaking during a visit to St Charles Hospital in west London, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: “A key part of my visit today is to see the fantastic work that the team are doing here in London, Central and West – they take over 600,000 111 calls a year and they do a formidable job in terms of dealing with urgent calls.
“Of course if people have an urgent call issue, it is important that they call 111. If they have an emergency then of course 999. But there will be pressure on the system tomorrow. So it’s important that people are bearing that in mind in terms of calling 111 if it’s an urgent matter."
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