Publish date: 21 December 2022
Industrial action by GMB, Unite and Unison members of North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) is planned on Wednesday 21 December 2022. Mersey Care staff will not be on strike on this date.
NWAS expect operational challenges to be felt for a further 48 hours after each day of planned industrial action, so have advised health and care colleagues to plan for disruption until the end of the week.
The agreed position is that from 19 December to 23 December and again on 28 December, there will be no patient transportation services provided other than for renal, oncology and palliative care on those dates.
We have set up a medically led clinical cell for advice on managing your patients during this time, and our escalation flowchart and supporting information is available here to help guide you through the process. The flowchart has been updated on 1 February 2023
Confirmed cardiac arrest and immediate threats to life will continue to be supported via the usual process (999 or HPC 0345 140 0144).
We have also shared some guidance around falls prevention here.
While derogations for 21 December are yet to be confirmed, as it stands ambulances may only be dispatched where there is an immediate risk to life. Senior clinicians will be based in all NWAS control rooms to oversee incoming 999 calls and make decisions based on clinical need - however they must adhere to agreed exemptions and derogations.
Members of the public will be encouraged to only call 999 for an ambulance if someone is seriously ill or injured, or where there is risk