Use “common sense,” was the advice of health secretary Steve Barclay to the nation as thousands of ambulance workers looked to strike on Wednesday.
Suggesting “the system will be under very severe pressure” during the walkouts, Barclay outlined that people should be mindful of this when choosing activities for the day.
Previous advice included that people shouldn’t take unnecessary car trips, play contact sports or get drunk due to concerns ambulances won’t reach everyone in need.
My priority remains patient safety. We have contingency plans in place & I have met with ambulance union reps today @unisontheunion, @unitetheunion, @GMB_union & @AACE_org urging them to honour their commitment to provide responses to life-threatening emergency calls. (2/3)
— Steve Barclay (@SteveBarclay) December 20, 2022
Ambulance workers and call handlers are among roughly 25,000 people due to take part in the industrial action over pay, conditions and concerns for patient care.
Nurses meanwhile walked out again on Tuesday, following the largest action of its kind in the NHS’ history last Thursday, which saw 100,000 people take part and some 16,000 appointments and surgeries rescheduled.
“The NHS is in crisis, the nursing profession can’t take any more,” commented the Royal College of Nursing boss Pat Cullen.
Having outlined care will be provided in the most extreme cases, Barclay had previously called for more clarity over which patients would receive treatment.