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Thousands of ambulance workers strike amid ‘disheartening’ and ‘demoralising’ conditions in the NHS

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/thousands-of-ambulance-workers-strike-amid-disheartening-and-demoralising-conditions-in-the-nhs

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THOUSANDS of ambulance workers across England and Wales took strike action today in face of the “disheartening” and “demoralising” conditions in the NHS.

Up to 25,000 paramedics, call handlers, drivers and technicians from Unison and GMB took part in the action across 24 hours in a dispute with the government over pay.

Workers on the picket lines said it was the last place they wanted to be, describing regular hours-long waits to hand over patients from ambulances to the care of doctors and nurses.

Paramedic Jenny Giblin, on a picket line in Birkenhead, Wirral, with her 16-month-old son, said the situation had “definitely got worse” in her seven-year career.

She said: “Corridors are almost like wards. Sometimes you spend a whole shift on a corridor.

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/thousands-of-ambulance-workers-strike-amid-disheartening-and-demoralising-conditions-in-the-nhs

Continue ReadingThousands of ambulance workers strike amid ‘disheartening’ and ‘demoralising’ conditions in the NHS

Public sector strikes row escalates as unions plan coordinated ‘day of action’

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https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/10/trade-unions-to-discuss-coordinated-day-of-action-strike-across-public-sector

The government’s standoff with public sector workers has escalated with plans for a coordinated “day of action” by unions, who have reacted furiously to proposed legislation they say could let ministers in effect ban strikes in some areas.

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There is anger among unions about the new anti-strike bill, which will apply in England, Scotland and Wales, and which ministers hope will become law later this year.

Mick Lynch, the general secretary of the RMT rail union, called it “an attack on human rights and civil liberties which we will oppose in the courts, parliament and the workplace”, while Sharon Graham, the leader of Unite, called it “another dangerous gimmick from a government that should be negotiating to resolve the current crisis they have caused”.

Paul Nowak, the TUC’s general secretary, said on Tuesday that the proposed anti-strike legislation was “undemocratic, unworkable and almost certainly illegal” and was a “sack key-workers bill”.

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https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/10/trade-unions-to-discuss-coordinated-day-of-action-strike-across-public-sector

Continue ReadingPublic sector strikes row escalates as unions plan coordinated ‘day of action’

Tories’ ‘despicable attack’ on striking ambulance workers fails to dent national action

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/tories-despicable-attack-striking-ambulance-workers-fails-dent-national-action

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HEALTH Secretary Steve Barclay was accused of launching a despicable attack on striking ambulance workers today after he claimed that they have made a “conscious choice to inflict harm” on patients.

Mr Barclay’s inflammatory attack caused fury among union leaders, who accused ministers of causing a year-round mounting death toll of patients through NHS underfunding, understaffing and government failures.

Figures released today shows a 133 per cent increase this year in patients dying while waiting in ambulances to be transferred into hospital, with the reasons for the delays including overflowing A&E departments, lack of beds and staffing shortages.

The number of deaths increased from 40 to 93 and the number of patients who suffered “severe harm” due to delays tripled from 51 patients to 154 in a year.

The figures, obtained by the GMB union using freedom of Information regulations, compared the years 2020-21 with 2021-22 and added to the anger provoked by Mr Barclay’s accusation.

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Continue ReadingTories’ ‘despicable attack’ on striking ambulance workers fails to dent national action

Ambulance strikes show government must come to the table on pay, GMB warns Parliament’s health committee

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/ambulance-strikes-show-government-must-come-table-pay-gmb-warns-parliaments-health-committee

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“LIFE-and-limb cover” will be provided across the ambulance service in England and Wales today to ensure patients are not put at risk during strikes, a union leader told MPs today.

GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said that unions had been working “round the clock” to ensure there were enough strike exemptions to keep critical services running.

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“Life-and-limb cover will be provided,” Ms Harrison told MPs. “The last thing that our members want to do is put patients in harm’s way.

“We will do everything within our power to ensure that communities are safe during this action.

“The government has to play their part, they have to come to the table and talk to us.”

She told MPs that ambulance workers have been forced to take strike action after raising concerns for years about ambulance delays and unsafe conditions for patients.

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Continue ReadingAmbulance strikes show government must come to the table on pay, GMB warns Parliament’s health committee

Government treating NHS staff with contempt, say nurses on picket lines on second national strike day

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https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/government-treating-nhs-staff-contempt-say-nurses-picket-lines-second-national-strike-day

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STRIKING nurses outside St Thomas’s hospital in London said today that they felt the government has treated NHS staff with “contempt” and “does not care” about them or their patients.

Jane, who was on the picket line outside the busy London hospital, condemned ministers for failing to engage in talks with nurses’ union RCN.

“I just feel like they seem so distant from us, from what we’re going through, that they are contemptuous of us and that they don’t care … and by extension they don’t care about our patients either,” she told the Star.

The London-based nurse, who has worked in the NHS for three years and did not want to give her surname, said that she had joined the picket because chronic staff shortages mean “we can’t look after our patients safely.”

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Continue ReadingGovernment treating NHS staff with contempt, say nurses on picket lines on second national strike day