London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Sep 11, 2025

Ambulance staff on strike in England and Wales

Ambulance staff on strike in England and Wales

Ambulance staff belonging to three unions - GMB, Unison and Unite - are on strike in a dispute over pay.

In line with previous industrial action, life-threatening 999 calls will be attended to, but other emergencies may not be, or could face delays.

The biggest day of industrial action for the NHS in this dispute is set to happen on 6 February, when nurses will walk out too.

Governments say the above-inflation pay rises requested are unaffordable.

Pay rises are decided by independent pay review bodies.

NHS staff in England and Wales - including nurses - have already received an average increase of 4.75%. The lowest paid were guaranteed a rise of at least £1,400.

The Welsh government offered a one-off payment as a way to avoid strike action, but that was rejected by unions.

Fourteen health unions, representing more than a million NHS workers in England, have said they will no longer work with the NHS Pay Review Body on discussions about the next (2023-24) pay deal until their current demands are met.

In Scotland, a pay offer averaging 7.5% has been accepted by some unions.

In Northern Ireland, the government has said it will give a 4.5% uplift to pay, backdated to April 2022. That is a below-inflation increase for most workers. Pay disputes continue.

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said Monday's industrial action was "hugely disappointing" and despite contingency plans to mitigate risks to patient safety, "there will inevitably be further disruption".

He added: "I have had constructive talks with unions about this coming year's pay process for 2023-24, and am keen to continue talking about what is affordable and fair."

Speaking on Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the government was willing to "talk about anything, but they won't talk about pay".

Meanwhile, Unison general secretary Christina McAnea said a "solution" to the strike was "staring the government in the face".


What 999 care will be provided?


The advice remains to call 999 in an emergency.

The most life-threatening situations - such as cardiac arrest - will be responded to by an ambulance.

Conditions which are serious but not immediately life-threatening might not be attended straight away.

Less urgent calls - such as a woman in late-stage labour - will not be prioritised.

Those who have a fall, or suffer other non-life-threatening injuries, are unlikely to receive 999 care. The NHS 111 service is available.


Which parts of the UK are affected?


Some ambulance staff in the GMB union are on strike in the West Midlands.

Meanwhile the action by Unison affects London, Yorkshire and the north-west, north-east and south-west of England.

Members of Unite are walking out in the West Midlands, East Midlands and north-west and north-east of England as well as in Wales.

Future strikes are also planned.


When are the next strikes?


Ambulance trust workers will be striking on:

* Tuesday 24 January - GMB (North West) ambulance workers

* Thursday 26 January - Unite (in Northern Ireland)

* Monday 6 February - Unite (in North West, North East, West Midlands, East Midlands and Wales), plus GMB ambulance workers and nurses

* Thursday 16 February - Unite (in Northern Ireland) plus GMB workers

* Friday 17 February - Unite (in West Midlands and Northern Ireland)

* Monday 20 February - Unite (in East Midlands, North East and Wales) plus GMB workers

* Wednesday 22 February - Unite (in North West)

* Thursday 23 February - Unite (in Northern Ireland)

* Friday 24 February - Unite (in Northern Ireland)

* Monday 6 March - Unite (in North West, North East, West Midlands, East Midlands and Wales) plus GMB workers

* Monday 20 March - Unite (in North West, North East,West Midlands, East Midlands and Wales) plus GMB workers

What patients need to know


* People seriously ill or injured, and whose life is at risk, should call 999 as usual, or call 111 for non-urgent care

* Other services, such as some cancer treatments or urgent testing, may be partially staffed

* More routine care is likely to be badly affected, including planned operations such as knee and hip replacements, community nursing services and healthvisiting

* Anyone with an appointment not already rearranged should attend at their allotted time

* GPs, community pharmacies and dentists will be unaffected

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
Big Oil Slashes Jobs and Investments Amid Prolonged Low Crude Prices
Court Staff Cover Up Banksy Image of Judge Beating a Protester
Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
Elon Musk Poised to Become First Trillionaire Under Ambitious Tesla Pay Plan
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
Burning the Minister’s House Helped Protesters to Win Justice: Prabowo Fires Finance Minister in Wake of Indonesia Protests
Brazil Braces for Fallout from Bolsonaro Trial by corrupted judge
The Country That Got Too Rich? Public Spending Dominates Norway Election
Nearly 40 Years Later: Nike Changes the Legendary Slogan Just Do It
Generations Born After 1939 Unlikely to Reach Age One Hundred, New Study Finds
End to a four-year manhunt in New Zealand: the father who abducted his children to the forests was killed, the three siblings were found
Germany Suspends Debt Rules, Funnels €500 Billion Toward Military and Proxy War Strategy
EU Prepares for War
BMW Eyes Growth in China with New All‑Electric Neue Klasse Lineup
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
US Justice Department Launches Criminal Mortgage-Fraud Probe into Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Escalating Drug Trafficking and Violence in Latin America: A Growing Crisis
US and Taiwanese Defence Officials Held Secret Talks in Alaska
Report: Secret SEAL Team 6 Mission in North Korea Ordered by Trump in 2019 Ended in Failure
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Florida Murder Case: The Adelson Family, the Killing of Dan Markel, and the Trial of Donna Adelson
×