Dispute over wage increase
Strike paralyzes British emergency services – waiting times for ambulances higher than ever
Emergency patients had to wait 90 minutes for the ambulance in December. In less urgent cases even up to four hours.
© James Manning/PA Wire/dpa
Healthcare workers in the UK have been on strike for several weeks. Wait times for ambulances and in the emergency room are higher than ever.
A widespread strike has paralyzed ambulance services across much of the UK. About 25,000 emergency doctors, ambulance drivers and emergency workers walked out of work in England and Wales on Wednesday. They are demanding higher wage increases in line with inflation, which was recently at a good 10 percent, and better working conditions.
UK: NHS health service under pressure
The conservative government, on the other hand, does not want to increase its offer of 4.75 percent more wages, which is based on the recommendation of a wage supervisory authority. She argues that inflation-based increases are unaffordable and will only drive consumer prices higher.
Health Secretary Steve Barclay acknowledged on the BBC that the chronically underfunded NHS health service is under significant pressure. The dissatisfaction is primarily directed against long waiting times when transferring patients from ambulances to emergency rooms, said Barclay. He stressed that the government had promised investments.
In December, it took around an hour and a half for an ambulance to arrive in an emergency. In less urgent cases, patients even had to wait more than four hours – longer than ever before. The same applies to the emergency rooms: more than half of the patients had to wait at least four hours for treatment, according to the NHS.
Government wants to restrict the right to strike by law
The NHS called for people to call 911 if their life is in danger despite the strike. The unions had announced that they would ensure basic supplies. General practitioners and pharmacies were open as usual.
In Great Britain there have been repeated strikes in numerous sectors for months. Next week, new exits from the clinic staff are planned. Employees at the railway and post office also repeatedly stop working.
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There are also regional strikes by bus drivers and teachers. The government now wants to restrict the right to strike by law in order to ensure basic services in critical areas such as the health service, fire brigade or rail transport. The opposition and the union reacted with outrage.