Yorkshire Ambulance Staff Prepare For Two More Strikes

A call has been made for an independent inquiry by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) into the long-running Yorkshire ambulance dispute, as paramedics and ambulance staff prepare for two more strikes in the next week.

Unite said that such an inquiry was needed so the Yorkshire public could judge for itself the impact on patient safety of £46m of cuts over five years.

Unite's 375 members will hold two further strikes on Friday 14 February, between 3pm and 8pm and next Monday 17 February, at the same time over the imminent introduction of elongated shift patterns that could mean working 10 hours without a meal break.

The latest chapter in the dispute about the impact on patient safety – and Unite's derecognition for raising those concerns – comes after revelations that the trust's bosses were driving around in top of the range Mercedes and BMWs – which, Unite condemned as "breathtaking hypocrisy".

Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: "The latest strikes over elongated shift patterns follow the latest refusal of the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust to meet Unite to resolve the dispute.

"I would emphasis that the trust's executive did not enter face-to-face negotiations to resolve the dispute at Acas-brokered talks which led to strike action taking place on 1 and 3 February.

"It has now refused to meet the union to seek agreement to avoid this week's strike action.

"We would welcome an independent enquiry by the CQC to determine whether it is Unite or the trust's executives who are misleading the public about the facts in this dispute, including the reason for Unite's derecognition; patient safety; and whether the trust's plan is focused on patient care or is just a five-year £46 million cost cutting exercise."

(CD/JP)