Category: nhs pay

Westminster has again been shown up by Holyrood over NHS pay

Commenting on the latest pay offer to health workers from the Scottish government covering the year ahead starting in April, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said today (Friday):

“Once again, Holyrood has shown Westminster up. Genuine pay talks with unions can help prevent damaging NHS disputes.

“Dialogue has led to decent wage offers in Scotland and Wales. Rishi Sunak should take heed and give it a go too.

“Scottish ministers clearly value health workers and know better pay can help improve staffing levels. This is in stark contrast to the Westminster government’s shoddy treatment of NHS employees.

“Health workers in Scotland had a bigger pay rise this year, putting a stop to the threat of strikes. Now they’re set to get a decent April wage increase, and on time too.

“Staff across the NHS in England are right to feel upset and angry at the prime minister’s abject failure to resolve the escalating dispute.

“Rishi Sunak has no plan to end the strikes and looks content to inflict months of needless disruption on the public.

“He expects health workers to wait until the NHS pay review body makes its recommendation. But that won’t be until May at the earliest. And it’ll do nothing to solve the current dispute.

“But the solution is in plain sight. The prime minister must open the door of Number 10 and invite the unions in for pay talks.

“Everyone could go back to work if the Prime Minister followed Holyrood’s example and committed to boosting NHS pay both this year and next. It really is that simple.”

Notes to editors:
– If accepted, the Scottish government’s pay offer would see most NHS workers receive pay increases of more than 8% in 2023/24.  That would mean that over the two years (2022/23 and 2023/24) nurses in Scotland will have got a pay rise of more than 14% and the lowest paid NHS workers an increase of close to 20%.
– UNISON has re-balloted ambulance workers at five services in England (South East Coast, South Central, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands) and the Welsh Ambulance Service. In addition, NHS staff at NHS Blood and Transplant, London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and the North West-based Bridgewater Community Trust have also been asked to vote again to strike over pay and staffing. The results of those ballots are due to be published later today.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Westminster has again been shown up by Holyrood over NHS pay first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Boost NHS pay, end the disputes and improve patient care

Commenting on new TUC research published today (Friday) showing that NHS workers have lost at least “a year’s worth of salary” because their pay has not kept pace with inflation since 2010, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“These figures show precisely what’s behind the wave of industrial action in the health service this winter.

“Ministers clearly don’t value health workers as much as they should. It’s no wonder the NHS is struggling to attract and keep staff when employees are finding it so much harder to cover their bills.

“The link between pay and staffing is obvious to everyone but the government.

“Without proper investment in the NHS workforce, people will continue to leave for better paid, less stressful jobs and services to patients won’t improve.

“It’s time the chancellor came out of hiding and found the money to pay staff properly.

“Jeremy Hunt and Rishi Sunak can stop the disputes right away by talking with unions and boosting wages, just as governments elsewhere in the UK have done.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Boost NHS pay, end the disputes and improve patient care first appeared on the UNISON National site.

It’s time the PM ditched the pretence and came clean with the public, says UNISON

If the government has no intention of resolving the NHS dispute, the prime minister must come clean and admit to the public that many more months of disruption are on the cards, says UNISON today (Thursday).

Ministers say they only want to talk about the NHS wage rise due in April. But the current round of strikes is over the government’s failure to tackle the growing staffing emergency and pay health workers properly this financial year, says the union.

By refusing point blank to discuss the issue at the heart of the dispute, the prime minister is condemning the public to escalating strikes, with more health workers and unions likely to join in the coming weeks, says UNISON.

Tomorrow (Friday) ambulance workers belonging to UNISON in five services across England (London, Yorkshire, the South West, North West and North East), will walk out for a fourth time. 

And next week UNISON ballots are due to close involving an additional 13,000 health workers, including staff at the five other ambulance services in England.

Despite this potential escalation, the government is still refusing to convene talks, says UNISON. Ministers want everyone to await the outcome of the NHS pay review body, but at best that’s not likely to report before May, the union says.

New figures from NHS England suggest 137,000 appointments have been cancelled since the strikes began last December. At this rate, as many as 250,000 patients could face disruption by late spring, should the government allow the dispute to drag on needlessly, warns UNISON.

It’s not even as if the prime minister has far to look to see how easy it is to do things rather differently, says UNISON.

Discussions between governments and health unions in Scotland and Wales have seen strikes paused and improved pay offers for NHS staff. Now talks between fire service employers and firefighters mean yet another strike threat has been lifted.

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “Dialogue can achieve great things. The prime minister should give it a go. Governments elsewhere in the UK have shown it’s good to talk to unions. That’s the only way disputes get resolved.

“Rishi Sunak says his door is open but without an invite to that mythical negotiating table, NHS staff have no choice but to go on striking.

“Ambulance workers are desperate to get back to work, care for people and save lives. But they’re equally determined to secure the pay rise that’ll help put the NHS in a much better place.

“The prime minister must ditch the pretence. It’s time to come clean with people and admit the government’s only plan is to sit tight and hope public opinion turns against health workers.

“But that’s unlikely to happen. The public can see that by choosing not to negotiate, the government is condemning them to months of unnecessary disruption.

“Rishi Sunak says the NHS is a priority, but his inaction suggests otherwise. NHS leaders, health staff and patients all want the government to resolve the dispute now, not in many months’ time.

“With the chancellor in hiding, it’s down to the prime minister to step up. Rishi Sunak must stop trying to sit it out, take the hand being offered to him by the unions, settle the dispute and allow the NHS to get back on track.”

Urging the prime minister to resolve the dispute, 111 health worker Melissa Ozcan, who works for the North West Ambulance Service, said: “I’ll never forget an 85-year-old man who’d fallen on the floor, couldn’t get up and had no family nearby to help. It broke my heart to tell him the wait for an ambulance was 11 hours. This polite, lovely man was all alone. 

“People in those situations deteriorate very quickly and the current wait times are dangerous. We wouldn’t be seeing these issues if more staff could be retained. It’s not in my gift to change things but the prime minister can with a decent pay rise.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON balloted 15,000 workers across the five ambulance services. Details of the pickets being organised are here.
– UNISON is re-balloting ambulance workers at five ambulance services in England (South East Coast, South Central, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands) and the Welsh Ambulance Service. This began on Friday 6 January and continues until next Thursday (16 February). Also being re-balloted are UNISON members working at NHS Blood and Transplant, London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and the North West-based Bridgewater Community Trust.
– UNISON ambulance workers took strike action on 21 December, and again on 11 and 23 January. Friday 10 February is their fourth day of action. Health workers at two Liverpool trusts (the University Hospitals Trust and the city’s Heart and Chest Hospital) first walked out on 21 December and on 23 January. Staff at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also went on strike on 17 January.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.  

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article It’s time the PM ditched the pretence and came clean with the public, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Welsh government NHS pay move ramps up the pressure on the PM, says UNISON

Commenting on the pay offer today (Friday) from the Welsh government offering NHS workers an additional 3% this year, UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“This ramps up the pressure on the prime minister significantly. Political leaders in Scotland and now in Wales are making the Westminster government look decidedly mean and totally out of touch.

“Rishi Sunak says he’d love to give health workers a pay rise yet claims he can’t. But he can and he should. If he doesn’t, NHS strikes will continue across England for months.

“Staff and patients in England deserve much better treatment from a prime minister who insists the NHS is one of his top priorities.

“Both Nicola Sturgeon and Mark Drakeford have chosen to do more for their NHS staff this year. The prime minister should stop with the lame excuses and follow the lead of Holyrood and the Senedd.

“Rishi Sunak must now invite health unions in for genuine pay talks. Other UK governments have shown it’s possible to invest in the NHS workforce. It’s high time this happened in England too.”

Notes to editors:

– UNISON’s health committee will now meet to discuss the Welsh government’s offer in more detail before putting it out to consultation with its members in the NHS. The re-ballot of staff in the Welsh Ambulance Service will continue and closes on 16 February.
– Next week, there’s only one day (Wednesday) where there won’t be a strike involving NHS workers in England. On Monday Royal College of Nursing (RCN), GMB and Unite members will go on strike, followed by a second day of action from the RCN on Tuesday 7. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is calling its members out on Thursday, and the day after up to 15,000 UNISON ambulance staff walk out across five ambulance services in England.
– UNISON is also re-balloting workers at the remaining five ambulance services in England (South East Coast, South Central, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands) as well as in the Welsh Ambulance Service. This vote began on 6 January and ends 16 February. Also being re-balloted are UNISON members at NHS Blood and Transplant, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and the North West-based Bridgewater Community Trust.
– UNISON ambulance workers took strike action on 21 December, and again on 11 and 23 January. Friday 10 February is their fourth day of action. Health workers at two Liverpool trusts (the University Hospitals Trust and the city’s Heart and Chest Hospital) first walked out on 21 December and on 23 January. Staff at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also went on strike on 17 January.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector. It has more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Welsh government NHS pay move ramps up the pressure on the PM, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Digging in won’t solve pay dispute, nor get the NHS back on its feet

The NHS won’t be able to deliver the speedier response times and better care the government is promising until ministers try harder to end the growing dispute about pay and staffing, says UNISON today (Tuesday).

Later today the health secretary will be asked about the government’s handling of the NHS dispute by MPs on the health and social care select committee, just as UNISON announces its fourth day of strike action on Friday 10 February.

This morning, NHS pay review body chair Philippa Hird told the committee the Department of Health and Social Care has yet to submit evidence ahead of the next pay round beginning in April. The deadline was 11 January.

UNISON’s 10 February strike again involves ambulance workers across five services in England – London, Yorkshire, the South West, North East and North West.

Strikes will now be happening across the NHS every day next week apart from Wednesday (8 February). UNISON’s action follows hard on the heels of strikes involving ambulance staff, nurses and physiotherapists organised by four other health unions.

With worries about the state of the NHS topping the list of public concerns recently, UNISON’s urging the government to stop pretending the strikes will simply go away and act decisively to end the dispute by improving pay.

But unless the government has a major rethink over NHS pay, and gets actual pay talks going with unions, UNISON warns it will announce strike dates running into March. By then, the dispute is likely to affect double the number of trusts and extend to the whole of the ambulance service in England, says UNISON.

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “After promising everyone a quicker pay review body process, the secretary of state’s own department failed to get its evidence in on time earlier this month.

“Ministers must stop fobbing the public off with promises of a better NHS, while not lifting a finger to solve the staffing emergency staring them in the face.

“The government must stop playing games. Rishi Sunak wants the public to believe ministers are doing all they can to resolve the dispute. They’re not.

“There are no pay talks, and the prime minister must stop trying to hoodwink the public. It’s time for some honesty. Ministers are doing precisely nothing to end the dispute.

“The government’s tactics seem to be to dig in, wait months for the pay review body report and hope the dispute goes away. It won’t. And in the meantime, staff will carry on quitting, and patients being let down.

“There can be no health service without the staff to run it. Ministers must open proper talks to end the dispute and put in place the urgent retention plan needed to boost pay and staffing across the NHS.”

Notes to editors:
– Last week the January 2023 Ipsos Issues Index showed that public concerns about the NHS are now more important than inflation and the economy. Forty two per cent said the NHS was the most pressing issue, up fifteen percentage points since December. This compared to 37% mentioning the economy and 36% inflation.
– On Monday 6 February Royal College of Nursing (RCN), GMB and Unite members will go on strike, followed by a second day of action from the RCN on Tuesday 7. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is calling its members out next Thursday, and the day after up to 15,000 UNISON ambulance staff walk out across five ambulance services in England.
– UNISON is also re-balloting workers at the remaining five ambulance services in England (South East Coast, South Central, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands) as well as in the Welsh Ambulance Service. This vote began on 6 January and ends 16 February. Also being re-balloted are UNISON members at NHS Blood and Transplant, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and the North West-based Bridgewater Community Trust.
– UNISON ambulance workers took strike action on 21 December, and again on 11 and 23 January. Friday 10 February is their fourth day of action. Health workers at two Liverpool trusts (the University Hospitals Trust and the city’s Heart and Chest Hospital) first walked out on 21 December and on 23 January. Staff at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence also went on strike on 17 January.
– Earlier this month, health unions decided against submitting joint evidence about the wage rise due in April to the NHS pay review body because of the ongoing dispute. Health secretary Steve Barclay had promised unions he would speed up the pay review body process, but his department has still not put in its own evidence. The deadline was 11 January.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector. It has more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk

The article Digging in won’t solve pay dispute, nor get the NHS back on its feet first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Solving workforce emergency now is key to the future of the NHS

Commenting on the government’s proposals to boost NHS emergency care published today (Monday), UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said:

“The government has at last acknowledged that there are deep problems in emergency care.

“But if the Prime Minister wants to take credit for fixing emergency care next winter, he must first resolve the workforce crisis happening now.

“There’s nothing to deliver the urgent retention plan needed to stop staff leaving jobs in the NHS. Nor is there anything about boosting pay to prevent the current industrial unrest from spreading.

“Without halting further strikes over pay and staffing, it’s difficult to see how this plan will be delivered. Particularly with precious little new funding from the Treasury.

“The success of the NHS begins and ends with its employees. No plans to deal with waiting times and handover delays stand a chance without tackling staffing shortages.

“To do that, ministers must begin genuine pay talks with unions right away and make a commitment to a proper wage boost.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector. It has more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Press contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk

The article Solving workforce emergency now is key to the future of the NHS first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Chancellor mustn’t ignore public services in his economic vision

Responding to the chancellor of the exchequer’s speech today (Friday) about driving UK economic growth, UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said:

“Jeremy Hunt’s grand vision for the future completely ignores vital public services.

“The chancellor holds the key to unlock the damaging health pay dispute and rebuild the NHS, but he’s not even trying.

“No plan for the economy can succeed unless the government also focuses on essential services.

“Paying proper wages will halt the staff exodus and mean there’s more money to spend in the local high street.”

Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector. It has more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Press contacts:
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk

The article Chancellor mustn’t ignore public services in his economic vision first appeared on the UNISON National site.

New money for NHS pay from Treasury could end dispute, says UNISON  

The chancellor can halt escalating strike action and begin solving the staffing emergency currently causing the NHS such harm if he comes up with new money to pay health workers fairly, says UNISON today (Monday).  

But if Jeremy Hunt continues to resist appeals to release extra cash and kickstart talks with unions to end the strikes, the NHS dispute could run for many months, says the union.    

This warning comes as up to 15,000 UNISON ambulance workers walk out later today for the third time in five weeks over pay and staffing, says UNISON. They’ll be joined by as many as 5,000 of their NHS colleagues at two hospital trusts in Liverpool.   

From 7am, paramedics, emergency care assistants, ambulance technicians, other 999 crew members and control room staff across five services in England – London, Yorkshire, the North West, North East and South West – will start to join picket lines at various times today. 

Porters, cleaners, nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants, theatre staff and other NHS workers at the Liverpool University Hospitals Trust and the city’s Heart and Chest Hospital will also be out on strike. 

UNISON general secretary Christina McAnea said: “The solution to the growing NHS crisis is staring the government in the face. It’s simple, all the chancellor needs to do is find the money to pay health workers fairly.   

“The public wants the government to end the dispute, so do NHS staff. But most ministers look like they’d rather dig in and do nothing, instead of boost pay and help turn the ailing NHS around.  

“Higher wages would stop experienced employees leaving for better paid jobs and encourage more people to come and work in the NHS. With more staff, ambulance response times would improve, and patient waits for treatment shorten. Everyone would be a winner.  

“It’s strange that it’s the chancellor blocking progress. Jeremy Hunt knows the NHS better than anyone in the cabinet.   

“As health secretary, he negotiated the wage deal to end the 2015 NHS strike and pushed for fair pay when health select committee chair. But as chancellor he’s chosen to forget all that.   

“Jeremy Hunt knows improved wages are critical to solving the NHS staffing emergency. He must come out of hiding and unlock the funding to end the strikes. Then the focus can be on nursing the NHS back to good health.”

Notes to editors: 
– UNISON members in the five ambulance services went on strike on 21 December and again on 11 January. Today is their third day of action. Health workers at the two Liverpool hospitals first walked out on 21 December and staff at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence followed suit last Tuesday (17 January).   – UNISON is also re-balloting workers at the remaining five ambulance services in England (South East Coast, South Central, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands) and the Welsh Ambulance Service. This began on 6 January and continues until 16 February. Also being re-balloted are UNISON members at NHS Blood and Transplant, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Women’s Hospital and the North West-based Bridgewater Community Trust.  – UNISON spokespeople will be visiting regions and available for interview today: general secretary Christina McAnea (North West); head of health Sara Gorton (Yorkshire); deputy head of health Helga Pile and ambulance lead Sharan Bandesha (London); national officer Alan Lofthouse and assistant general secretary Jon RIchards (South West).– To be put in touch with a striking ambulance worker, please speak to the national media team.  – Ambulance workers belonging to Unite are also taking action in the West Midlands, North West, North East, East Midlands and Wales today, as is the GMB in the West Midlands.– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector. It has more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors. Press contacts:Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.ukAnthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk 

The article New money for NHS pay from Treasury could end dispute, says UNISON   first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Five ways that you can support Monday’s NHS strikers

A third strike in the ongoing NHS pay dispute takes place on Monday 23 January. UNISON members working in the ambulance service in five regions will be walking out, as well as staff in hospitals across Liverpool.

But before getting into how you can show your support, it’s important to note that there are strict legal provisions and a statutory code of practice around who can picket and how pickets are run.

It’s vital to make sure legal requirements and patient safety are maintained, and UNISON regional offices will be working with striking branches to manage invitations and arrangements for visitors to their pickets.

So please don’t go to picket lines unless invited by striking branches.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t still support the strikers, so here are five ways.

   1.#PutNHSPayRight

Use our template tweet, but don’t be scared to give it a personal touch!

Show your support

Follow #PutNHSPayRight on twitter, get involved on Facebook, retweet and repost striking branches as well as UNISON’s national and regional accounts.

   2. Honk those horns – and share our video

While you may not be able to join the official pickets, if you happen to be walking or driving past as part of your day, you can still show your support, honk your horns or give them a cheer, we’re sure they’ll appreciate it.

   3. Share our graphics

Make sure to use our graphics, if you want your support to pop, with shapes and sizes to suit all the social channels.

Download the graphics

   4. Write to your MP

This is an issue that the government can fix, if it chooses to. Write to your MP using our template letter to tell them to support the campaign and put pressure on the government to put NHS pay right and fix our NHS.

Write to your MP

   5. Keep up to date

Make sure to follow our live feed on Monday. We’ll be posting updates from all over the country all day so you can follow along – you’ll find the rolling feed on the front-page of the UNISON website.

You can also read a recent blog from a ‘NICE’ member about why they went on strike on Tuesday.

Blog: NICE and NHS staff are for life, not just for COVID

The article Five ways that you can support Monday’s NHS strikers first appeared on the UNISON National site.

Staff with expert view of NHS crisis to strike over pay and staffing

Several hundred staff working for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are taking strike action today (Tuesday) over pay and staffing, says their union UNISON.

The strike will be followed by four days when the NICE employees, who belong to UNISON and are based in Manchester and London, will work to rule.

This means the staff, who advise the NHS on the best drugs and treatments available for patients, will only work the hours set out in their contracts and refuse any overtime.

NICE workers also played a critical role during the pandemic, providing guidance on the best ways of treating the various medical conditions caused by Covid.

UNISON head of health Sara Gorton said: “The staff at NICE are critical to ensuring the NHS provides the most effective drugs and treatments to patients. They can see only too well the unbearable pressure across all parts of the health service.

“No one wants to strike. But the hope is the action taken by key health staff proves enough to convince the chancellor he needs to act now to improve NHS pay. The need for urgent talks to resolve the dispute is becoming more pressing by the day.”

UNISON NICE joint branch secretary Trudie Pandolfo, who works on NICE’s public involvement programme, said: “At NICE, my colleagues and I work with all parts of the NHS – including public health, clinical services, social care – so have a proper bird’s-eye view of just how bad things have become.

“Unless the government acts quickly to boost pay across the NHS, services will soon be unable to function, let alone provide decent patient care. The NHS and the public deserve much better from this government.”

Notes to editors:
-There will be a picket outside the NICE offices in Piccadilly Gardens in Manchester today, with a rally in support of striking NHS workers beginning at 12.30pm.
-Ambulance staff belonging to UNISON took strike action last week (11 January) at five services in England – London, Yorkshire, the North West, North East and South West – over pay and staffing. The next strike is planned for Monday (23 January). That same day, NHS staff belonging to UNISON and working at the Liverpool University Hospitals Trust and the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital are also due to take strike action. The union is re-balloting ambulance workers at five ambulance services in England (South East Coast, South Central, East of England, West Midlands and East Midlands) and the Welsh Ambulance Service. This began on 6 January and continues until Monday 16 February.
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union and the largest union in the NHS and in the ambulance sector, with more than 1.3 million members providing public services – in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.

Press contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Anthony Barnes M: 07834 864794 E: a.barnes@unison.co.uk
Sam Doherty M: 07432 549759 E: s.doherty@unison.co.uk

The article Staff with expert view of NHS crisis to strike over pay and staffing first appeared on the UNISON National site.