PEOPLE are being urged to consider whether they actually need to call an ambulance as another day of strikes begins tomorrow.

On Wednesday, January 11, ambulance workers from the GMB Union will go on strike for 24 hours.

The union had been in talks on Monday with health secretary Steve Barclay but said that the talks fell short.

Rachel Harrison, GMB’s national secretary, said on Monday: “Today’s talks fell well short of anything substantial that could stop this week’s strikes.

“There was some engagement on pay – but not a concrete offer that could help resolve this dispute and make significant progress on the recruitment and retention crisis.

“The public expects the government to treat these talks seriously – it’s time they got on with it.”

More than 100,000 ambulance workers will strike for the second time, with 24 per cent of the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust (WAST) being members of the union who are staging the walk out.

It means that there will be less emergency services personnel available and therefore – as on December 21 when they last walked out – only the most severe of cases will be prioritised.

WAST has confirmed that they have worked with GMB and that services will be maintained, however, at a reduced level.

The trust is therefore asking that the public considers how they use the services during the industrial action as despite the services being maintained, significant disruption will be expected.

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While the strike action is taking place, there will be a significant impact on the ability to respond to 999 calls as non-clinical call handlers and the number of emergency ambulances available is set to be disrupted.

There will also be disruption to non-emergency patient transport which is relied upon by many to attend hospital appointments.

What will be continuing during the strike?

GMB Union and WAST have agreed that:

  • All ‘red’ calls – which include immediate life and limb threatening situations such as heart attacks and selected ‘amber 1’ calls including chest pains, strokes and gynaecology emergencies where mother and baby is at risk, entrapment or ejection RTCs and compromised airways - will be responded to.
  • Select ‘amber 1’ calls may also be responded to after a remote clinical assessment has deemed that an immediate response is required.
  • There will not be any non-emergency patient transport for outpatients journeys unless they fall under the ‘derogated’ services. This means that all renal dialysis patients, oncology and related cancer care patients and end of life humanitarian journeys will be carried out. All others who had booked transport will be contacted to arrange alternative transport or to ask to contact their healthcare provider to arrange an alternative date.

So what do I need to know?

Here is what you can do to make sure that you can be treated as efficiently as possible should you need emergency care:

  • Only call 999 if seriously ill or injured and there is a risk to life.
  • Some patients may be asked to make their own way to hospital.
  • Visit the NHS 111 Wales website www.111.wales.nhs.uk as a first point of call and use the online symptom checker to direct you to the appropriate care.
  • You can also speak to a pharmacist, GP or minor injuries unit about concerns or call 111 – however, there may be a lengthy wait for the latter.
  • Ensure you have enough prescription medication and over-the-counter remedies for common ailments to reduce the risk of falling ill on the strike days.
  • Ensure you have adequate first aid kit supplies in case you need to administer self-care for minor injuries.
  • Take extra care when out and about due to the cold weather to avoid slips and trips, falls and accidents on the road.
  • Look out for those who are vulnerable around you.

There are further strikes planned by staff in the Unite Union on January 19 and 20.