BRITS are facing more ambulance strike chaos, with workers planning two more walkouts.
Ambulance staff in Unison will stage two further strikes on January 11 and 23 in the dispute over pay and staffing, the union announced.
Ten thousand ambulance staff at nine NHS trusts walked out in the biggest 999 strike for 30 years, in a row over pay and conditions.
It comes after desperate families were forced to rush their loved ones to A&E in their own cars yesterday amid strike action.
Unions pledged to respond to life-threatening calls, but ambulances were not automatically sent to people suffering heart attacks or strokes, and many patients were advised to take a taxi to A&E.
Yesterday Steve Barclay said unions made a ‘conscious choice’ to inflict harm on patients.
The Health Secretary pointed the finger at the unions, sparking an angry row over who will be to blame if any patients die.
Writing in The Telegraph, after last-minute talks broke down Mr Barclay said: “We now know that the NHS contingency plans will not cover all 999 calls.
“Ambulance unions have made a conscious choice to inflict harm on patients.”
Workers across several other industries are also set to strike in the build-up to Christmas – including border force staff tomorrow.
On Thursday, strikes will be held by Unite members working for Highlands and Islands Airports, National Highways workers in London and the South East, and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency in the North West, Yorkshire and Humber and North Wales.
Unison workers at the Environment Agency will refuse to provide on-call cover for unexpected incidents, and Rural Payments Agency staff will continue their walkout.
