Ambulance trust admits talks collapse

Unite members working for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service picketed 17 stations across the region yesterday.

The walkout – due to end at 6am today – was triggered after ambulance service managers announced plans to introduce a less-qualified emergency care assistant role to work alongside paramedics as part of measures intended to save £46m over five years.

Unite regional officer Terry Cunliffe said: “We say that’s not sufficient to turn up to emergencies and provide life-saving patient care.

“It’s not a political decision. I’m not sure what alternative we have.

“Our members are left with no voice in the National Health Service. That’s unacceptable to us and we won’t be silenced.”

The dispute has been further fuelled after ambulance chiefs announced they were derecognising the union.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which employs 4,300 people, said 40 employees had not turned up to work after declaring they were on strike.

However, a trust spokesman said that because the service is a 24-hour, seven-day operation, staff who were not scheduled to work yesterday may have been included in the union’s estimate.

Paul Mudd, locality director at the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: “It hasn’t affected our service to the public.”

He said the organisation acknowledged there was “a breakdown of negotiations” with Unite over the introduction of an emergency care assistant role.