Ambulance Staff Strike Hits NHS Trusts
Ambulance workers are staging a walkout as part of an “escalation strategy” to pile pressure on the government. Staff at South Central and South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trusts will strike from noon until 10pm BST.
Union Boss Demands Better Pay Offer
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham slammed the government’s 5% pay rise and one-off £1,655 top-up as “not enough.” She urged ministers to reopen talks and deliver a “proper wage offer” that tackles the NHS recruitment and retention crisis choking the system.
“The current offer does nothing to address the recruitment and retention crisis that is crippling the NHS,” Graham said.
Health Department Hits Back
The Department of Health & Social Care called the strike “disappointing” and warned it will add “more pressure” to the overstretched NHS. Patients are urged to dial 999 for emergencies and use NHS 111 online for non-urgent issues.
A spokesperson added most NHS unions backed the pay deal and urged remaining strikers to “recognise this as a fair outcome” and end industrial action.
Picket Lines and Patient Chaos
Picket lines will spring up in Northfleet and Portsmouth, potentially causing major disruptions for patients already facing an NHS at breaking point. Chronic underfunding and staff shortages have pushed the service to its limits.
