Within SCAS it is only the GMB who will be taking part in industrial action on 11 January 2023. There are just over 200 GMB members out of around 4500 staff across all our services. As a result the impact will mainly be on our patient transport service, but there may be some action in our 999 services.
We are working closely with our local and regional GMB union representatives and staff to minimise as far as possible, the impact of such action on our patients.
GMB representatives have agreed the essential service its members will continue to provide (known as derogations). This includes:
- Patient Transport Services – non-emergency transport for patients such as dialysis, oncology, palliative care and hospital discharges and transfers.
- Ambulance crews – Patients suffering life- threatening/serious emergency situations which make up around 60% of our calls.
- 999/111 control centres – We do not expect this strike action to have a significant impact on staffing in our control centres. However, GMB has agreed that 75% of their members, who are due on shift on 11 January, will continue to work to support essential services within control centres.
We are busy in both our 999 and 111 teams and irrespective of the strike action we would like to remind the public only to use 999 for life-threatening or serious emergencies – such as a person unresponsive and/or not breathing, symptoms of stroke, severe chest pains, breathlessness, major blood loss or serious burns. This would ensure more of our staff are able to respond as quickly as possible to those types of emergency.
If you need help and it is not an emergency please use 111 online or your local GP. Alternatively, pharmacists can advise on minor illnesses, injuries and managing symptoms.
Find out more about how industrial action is affecting SCAS and the derogations agreed with GMB