'Take yourselves to hospital in strikes', Brits warned, as health secretary launches last-ditch bid to avoid walkouts

20 December 2022, 02:26 | Updated: 20 December 2022, 05:39

Some British people have been told they will need to take themselves to hospital in the ambulance strikes on Wednesday, as health secretary Steve Barclay joins talks today in a last-ditch bid to avoid industrial action.

Striking ambulance workers - including paramedics, control room workers and technicians - represent the most serious threat to date, NHS bosses have warned.

They have said thousands of patients who have had strokes, heart attacks or broken bones will have to get themselves to A&E on Wednesday.

A series of hospitals and ambulance trusts have been forced to declare critical incidents across the UK, leading to calls for health workers to cancel planned walkouts.

Mr Barclay will meet unions representing ambulance drivers in 11th hour talks on Tuesday, despite discussions being unlikely to avert the action.

It comes as thousands of nurses stage a second walkout in a row over pay today, with around a quarter of hospitals and community teams in England taking part.

Mr Barclay wants to discuss patient safety with Unison, GMB and Unite amid concerns over whether all emergency calls will be covered.

But unions said there would be "no strikes at all if ministers would only talk to unions and improve NHS pay".

Mr Barclay said: "The RCN's demands are unaffordable during these challenging times and would take money away from frontline services while they are still recovering from the impact of the pandemic. I'm open to engaging with the unions on how to make the NHS a better place to work."

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Speaking ahead of the strike, RCN chief executive Pat Cullen said: "The Prime Minister should ask himself what is motivating nursing staff to stand outside their hospitals for a second day so close to Christmas.

"They are prepared to sacrifice a day's pay to have their concerns heard. Their determination stems as much from worries over patient safety and the future of the NHS than personal hardship.

"Rishi Sunak is under growing pressure in Westminster following last Thursday's strike and he should listen to people around him.

"The public is increasingly with their local nursing staff and this Government desperately needs to get on the right side of them. It is unprecedented for my members to strike.

"Let's get this wrapped up by Christmas. I will negotiate with him at any point to stop nursing staff and patients going into the new year facing such uncertainty.

"But if this Government isn't prepared to do the right thing, we'll have no choice but to continue in January and that will be deeply regrettable."

However, Mr Sunak has insisted that he will stand firm against strikers amid the mass walkouts.

He said he was "incredibly disappointed" by the industrial action bringing key services to a halt, "particularly at Christmas, particularly when it impacts people’s health".

In an interview with the Mail, he also warned striking paramedics not to follow through with their threat to refuse help for those in distress during their walkout on Wednesday.

The PM said: "I really urge the unions to consider the impact these strikes are having on people’s lives and their health and to consider whether that’s really appropriate."