As paramedics strike public are warned ‘do not take risks’
Paramedics walked out today as patients were warned: “We cannot guarantee your safety”.
West Midlands Ambulance Service pledged to deal with cardiac arrests, heart attacks, strokes, breathing difficulties and maternity emergencies.
But it urged people to “only call if a patient is critical or there is a risk to life”.
The NHS Confederation has written to Rishi Sunak warning the strike has placed the nation in “dangerous territory”.
Its chief executive Matthew Taylor warns there is “deep worry...about the level of harm and risk that could occur to patients”.
And health minister Will Quince issued a stark message, warning people to stay safe and to avoid “risky activity”.
He said people should “avoid contact sports” or running on slippery roads and suggested unnecessary car journeys should be avoided. People were also urged not to put themselves at risk by drinking alcohol excessively.
Scores of operations were today cancelled in hospitals across the West Midlands and Staffordshire in an effort to reduce pressure, adding to NHS waiting lists.
Medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “There is no doubt that the NHS is facing extreme pressure and industrial action will add to the already record demand we are seeing on urgent and emergency care.
“Because of that it is really important that the public play their part by using services wisely.”
Thousands of nurses staged their second walkout over pay yesterday, and today paramedics and ambulance workers including call handlers were taking action.
In a letter to the PM, Mr Taylor said: “This is not something NHS leaders would ever say lightly, but many now tell us that they cannot guarantee patient safety. On health grounds alone, it is clear we have entered dangerous territory.”
Mr Taylor urged the Prime Minister to end the Government’s dispute with the unions quickly, asking Mr Sunak to “be prepared to negotiate on the substantive issue of pay awards”.
The letter added: “With less than 24 hours to go to the ambulance strike, there is now deep worry among NHS leaders about the level of harm and risk that could occur to patients tomorrow and beyond.”
He added that it is rare to hear “such strong and urgent expressions of concern” from leaders running hospitals, ambulance services and other vital health services.
He said: “We never want to alarm people but we have reached the stage where our leaders feel it’s necessary to say they cannot guarantee patient safety, they cannot avoid risks as these strikes unfold.
“We are particularly concerned about the ambulance workers’ strike but we’re concerned about the possibility of further strikes. We need to make clear that we’re entering into a very dangerous time and this is why we’re upping even more our call to the Government and to the trade unions to try to find a way of solving this dispute and helping us get through the winter.”
Earlier, Downing Street acknowledged that Mr Sunak had not chaired Cobra meetings on the crisis or met the unions.
At a Cabinet meeting yesterday the disputes with NHS nurses and paramedics were not raised, with discussions instead focusing on plans for the Coronation in May 2023.
