Ambulance staff continue cuts walkouts

About 500 members of Unite will walk out for 12 hours from midday. The action comes after a one-day strike in April and could be followed by another in June.

The row is over Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust’s plans to cut its budget by £46m over the next five years, despite workloads increasing by up to six per cent month-on-month, the union said.

Regional officer Terry Cunliffe said members were concerned about patient safety and urged the trust to enter into talks with them.

The trust said it was “deeply concerned” about the strike, which would “undoubtedly” put strain on its 999 service, and urged the public to only call for an ambulance in an emergency.