Army To Help Ambulance Service During Monday’s Strike

The army is being drafted in to help East Midlands Ambulance service when staff stage strike action on Monday.

Military personnel will be used to respond to 999 calls, but will assist in driving vehicles to less seriously ill patients.

EMAS expects around 20 soldiers to be made available when members of the GMB and Unison unions walk-out, in an on-going dispute over pay.

EMAS’s Director of operations Ben Holdaway said the strikes would be “very challenging”.

He said: “We expect the industrial action period next week to be very challenging, and the implementation of military support has always been part of the NHS plans in case of increased and sustained pressure.

“At EMAS, we are expecting up to 20 military colleagues to be available to us. They will not be used to respond to emergency 999 calls. Their role will be to drive vehicles in addition to the safe moving and handling of lower acuity patients and essential equipment. This will enable our emergency crews to focus on responding to life-threatening and very serious 999 calls.

“While we continue to fully respect the right of NHS staff to take lawful and peaceful action, as an ambulance service, the most important thing for us is that we are able to provide emergency care to our patients when they need it.

“It is important that the public use services wisely and make their own way to a treatment centre or hospital if safe to do so; this allows us to send our ambulances with life-saving equipment and clinicians on board to people who really need them.”