Thousands of ambulance workers in the UK went on a 24-hour strike today. The government has advised people not to play contact sports, take unnecessary car journeys and not get drunk to reduce the risk of needing an ambulance. “It’s the festive season, before Christmas, so enjoy yourself, but obviously don’t get so drunk that you end up with an unnecessary visit to the hospital emergency room,” said Stephen Powis, director of the National Health Service in England.
Today is the largest strike by paramedics, first responders and technicians in England and Wales in 30 years. Unions have pledged to respond to life-threatening calls, but officials said they could not guarantee that everyone who needs an ambulance will get one.
Indeed, as the leaders of the NHS, the public health service, have stated, it is not possible to guarantee the safety of patients. The service is ensured only for calls identified by the red code, which corresponds to immediate danger to life. While for the other cases, you must contact the NHS website.
Many inconveniences are reported by the media, especially for elderly people who have had to find other ways to be helped after a sudden health problem. While the conservative government of Rishi Sunak continues to be at the center of criticism for its hard line towards ambulance workers as well as nurses who are demanding a salary increase in the face of record high inflation. Not only that, Minister Barclay accused the unions of making a conscious choice to harm patients. Words that have been defined as “an insult” to the health personnel by the Gmb union.