UPDATE: 16 MARCH 2023

Further to our updates this week, we can confirm industrial action by all three ambulance trade unions (Unite, GMB and Unison) between 18 – 23 March have now been suspended. This is after the Government continued talks with trade unions and proposed a formal pay offer earlier today (Thursday 16 March) which will now be consulted on with Trade Union members.

We are now able to fully stand down all arrangements that were put in place to mitigate the impact of the strike.

We are grateful to colleagues both on and off the picket lines, and in the trade unions, as well as system partners for all their support and collaboration throughout industrial action, ensuring that we continued to respond to patients in need of an emergency response.

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Following the announcement of industrial action, we have worked closely with our unions and staff to ensure that we are able to continue to deliver a response to the most serious emergencies for our patients and to agree an approach for the days when industrial actions is taking place.

This has focused on consideration to support colleagues’ right to take action in collaboration with potential impacts on patient care. The priority throughout has been balancing patient safety with the right to strike.

On the day of action, despite utilising some resources from external sources, the trust will be operating with reduced capacity. As much as we can, we will prioritise those with life-threatening conditions but it is important to acknowledge that ambulance waits are to be expected. Those with less serious conditions are likely to be asked to seek alternatives.

The assistance of the public is vital so for illness or injury which is not life-threatening, people should seek help and advice from their own GP, a pharmacist, or via NHS 111 Online at 111.nhs.uk or find other means of transport to an emergency care centre.

Further information is available to the public here: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/information-for-the-public-on-industrial-action/ and we will continue to publish further advice here.

Regardless of any strike action taking place, it is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk

However, patients should only call 999 if it is a medical or mental health emergency [when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk].

Ambulances will still be able to respond in these situations, but this may only be where there is an immediate risk to life. There will be fewer ambulances on the roads during industrial action, with the NHS prioritising those with life-threatening needs. As a result patients whose conditions are not life-threatening are unlikely to get an ambulance on strike days.

The NHS.UK website has more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E.

As much as we can, we will prioritise those with life-threatening conditions but it is important to acknowledge that ambulance waits are to be expected. Those with less serious conditions are likely to be asked to seek alternatives.

The assistance of the public is vital so for illness or injury which is not life-threatening, people should seek help and advice from their own GP, a pharmacist, or via NHS 111 Online at 111.nhs.uk or find other means of transport to an emergency care centre.

NHS 111 call centres will have fewer staff, with longer call response times expected across the system. As a result, we are urging anyone with non-urgent care need to first seek help from NHS 111 online.

The online service works the same as the over the phone service, and could allow you to get information quicker. This can include getting a call back from a trained clinician or nurse, booking them an appointment in A&E, or providing advice.

Parents concerned about children under 5 years old, should continue to use the phone service.

If your call is not urgent, please go to the NHS 111 for help and advice.

111.nhs.uk can help you with:

  • Where to get help for your symptoms, if you’re not sure what to do
  • How to find general health information and advice
  • Where to get an emergency supply of your prescribed medicine
  • How to get a repeat prescription
  • Get emergency dental appointments

You’ll also find symptom checkers and a host of health information, as well as information on the current advice on Strep A, including when to seek medical help.

Our PTS service is also  affected by strike action.

On the day of strike action our Patient Transport Service will only be available for patients attending cancer, renal and palliative care appointments.

Providers will be in touch to inform you if your appointment is being cancelled or to advise if you need to seek alternative transport.

Please only call 999 in a serious or life-threatening emergency to keep our precious resources for those who need us most.

If you’re ill or injured, consider alternatives to 999 like your GP, pharmacist, NHS 111, and stock up on prescription medications and over the counter remedies to reduce the risk of you falling ill on strike days. Please also take extra care during the cold spell to avoid slips, trips and falls, and accidents on the road.

We’re also asking the public to play their part by taking simple steps during industrial action to look after themselves, loved ones and checking in on vulnerable family members and neighbours.

We know this is a very disruptive time for everyone and we thank you all for your help and support as we work hard to maintain services for those most in need of our life-saving care.

If you have a mental health concern, please use the mental health crisis lines available in your area:

  • Greater Manchester (Bolton, Manchester, Salford, Trafford & Wigan)- 0800 953 0285
  • Greater Manchester (Bury, Heywood, Middleton & Rochdale, Oldham, Stockport and Tameside & Glossop – 0800 014 9995)
  • Lancashire and Cumbria – 0800 953 0110
  • North Cumbria 0800 652 2865
  • Cheshire and Wirral – 0800 145 6485
  • Merseyside (Sefton Liverpool)- 0800 145 6570
  • St Helens, Knowsley, Warrington and Halton 0800 051 1508

Military personnel will be supporting NHS staff in a variety of ways, including by driving ambulances. They will not be providing any medical support.

They will be primarily focused on lower category emergency calls, for example falls, but they could be sent to higher priority cases too. If deployed to an emergency, the trained clinician can drive to the scene on blue lights, with the military driver driving to hospital under normal traffic laws. This means they will be required to observe the speed limit and stop at red lights. If there is need to transport a patient to hospital under emergency blue light conditions, then the crew will request back up.

NWAS does have staff who are members of the RCN. They predominantly work for the 111 service. When they go on strike it affects our clinical call handling capacity and can cause longer call back times for patients ringing the 111 service.

RCN members have also been striking at different hospitals across the North West. These strikes don’t directly affect NWAS although do impact the wider NHS.

For more information on how this will affect the trusts above please visit their websites.

    • 21 December, 00.01 to 23.59 – GMB, Unite and Unison (12.00-00.00 only)
    • 28 December, 00.01 to 23.59 – GMB (POSTPONED)
    • 11 January – GMB – 00.01 to 23.59 and Unison – 0700 -1900
    • 23 January – Unison – 1100-2300 and Unite – 00.01 to 23.59
    • 24 January – GMB – 00.01 to 23.59
    • 6 February – GMB – 00.01 to 23.59, Unite – 0700 -1900 and Royal College of Nurses (daytime shifts)
    • 7 February – RCN (daytime shift)
    • 10 February – Unison
    • 20 February 2023: GMB – 00.00 – 23.522 February 2023: Unite – POSTPONED
    • 6 March 2023: GMB and Unite (SUSPENDED)
    • 8 March 2023: Unison (SUSPENDED)