Health secretary’s comments leave union leaders ‘utterly shocked’ as ambulance staff strike begins
Good morning. With ambulance staff on strike in England and Wales today, we’ve arrived at what is probably the most perilous day of shutdown month so far, because of the risk to patients if emergency care is not available. Strikes always generate a furious blame game, and overnight it has intensified because of an article that Steve Barclay, the health secretary, has written for the Daily Telegraph.
Barclay accuses the health unions of making contigency planning for the strike “almost impossible” and, as a result, putting lives at risk. He says:
I met representatives of the three unions on Tuesday. They promised that each ambulance trust where their members are striking would have sufficient cover to respond to the most serious emergencies. Yet even on the eve of the walkout, the cover arrangements were changing and the national picture was not clear. This has made contingency planning, including the deployment of military personnel who will be behind the wheels of ambulances on our streets, almost impossible.
We now know that the NHS contingency plans will not cover all 999 calls. Ambulance unions have taken a conscious choice to inflict harm on patients.
Continue reading…Health secretary’s comments leave union leaders ‘utterly shocked’ as ambulance staff strike beginsGood morning. With ambulance staff on strike in England and Wales today, we’ve arrived at what is probably the most perilous day of shutdown month so far, because of the risk to patients if emergency care is not available. Strikes always generate a furious blame game, and overnight it has intensified because of an article that Steve Barclay, the health secretary, has written for the Daily Telegraph.Barclay accuses the health unions of making contigency planning for the strike “almost impossible” and, as a result, putting lives at risk. He says:I met representatives of the three unions on Tuesday. They promised that each ambulance trust where their members are striking would have sufficient cover to respond to the most serious emergencies. Yet even on the eve of the walkout, the cover arrangements were changing and the national picture was not clear. This has made contingency planning, including the deployment of military personnel who will be behind the wheels of ambulances on our streets, almost impossible.We now know that the NHS contingency plans will not cover all 999 calls. Ambulance unions have taken a conscious choice to inflict harm on patients. Continue reading…