What you need to know about the ambulance workers’ strike, by the BBC’s Zoe Conway.
As ambulance workers get ready to strike again, the message from the NHS once more is: only call 999 if you are seriously ill or your condition is life-threatening.
Monday’s walkout will affect ambulance services in England and Wales.
The action will involve thousands of staff, including paramedics, control room staff and support workers in a dispute over pay.
You can read more or watch this report about why people are taking strike action, and below you can find information on how it could affect you.
Which ambulance staff are striking?
Thousands of members of the Unison, GMB and Unite trade unions are walking out on Monday across much of England and Wales, although the East of England will be unaffected.
Unison members are striking in five regions: London, Yorkshire, the South West, the North West and the North East.
Around 2,600 Unite members are expected to walk out in England’s North West, the West Midlands and the North East, and a further 1,000 will walk out in Wales.
About 1,000 GMB members are striking in the West Midlands for 24 hours.
The start times and lengths of the walkouts vary between ambulance services, but most will last for about 12 hours.
The action will involve all ambulance employees, including call centre and control room staff, not just emergency crews.
Hospital staff strike:
Unison members at two Liverpool hospital trusts will also be walking out on Monday in a dispute about pay, at Liverpool Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the city’s Heart and Chest Hospital.
The strike will include NHS staff except doctors, so staff such as porters, assistants and midwives.
Advice if you need to call emergency services:
NHS England says priority will be given to those with the most clinically urgent health needs.
The NHS advice is:
The NHS’s Charlotte McArdle said: “It is important that people continue coming forward for treatment, whether it is 111 online… or calling 999 in a life-threatening emergency.
“While strikes will impact some services in those local organisations taking action, NHS teams have worked hard to maintain routine care as much as possible.”
Follow Zoe Conway on Twitter
How are you affected by the strikes? Are you taking part in strike action? You can email: [email protected].
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can’t see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at [email protected]. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.
0
0
