If you’ve been paying attention to the news, then you’ll probably have noticed that public workers of just about every kind are agitating for improved pay and working conditions. Firefighters, teachers, train drivers, and nurses are all striking for various reasons.
This development comes off the back of severe inflation, and a squeeze in living costs for just about everyone. When nurses and ambulance workers strike, in particular, it can raise fears among the general public. If you need to phone an ambulance when the drivers are all striking, then what effect will that have on your ultimate health outcome?
Let’s run through a few important questions.
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When are the strikes?
The date of the strikes will depend on where you are in the country, but they’re all spread through February and March.
Ambulance workers just about everywhere except Northern Ireland will be striking on the sixth of February. In the East Midlands, the North East, and Wales, it’ll be the 20th as well. In the West Midlands, it’ll be the 17th. North Ireland will experience four days of strike action in February: on the 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th.
There are also strikes planned in March. These are on the same days across England and Wales, namely the 6th and 20th.
Nurses will be striking on the 6th and 7th of February. Physiotherapists in England are striking on the 9th, while those in Wales will be striking on the 7th. You can look at a complete list of strikes here.
Why are they striking?
NHS workers are striking in order to secure themselves better pay and working conditions. The Royal College of Nursing is calling for a 19% pay rise, which the government maintains is unaffordable. NHS staff in England and Wales have received an increase of around 4.75%. Inflation sits at about 10%. For essential goods like groceries, it’s higher – which basically means that people on the breadline are feeling it worse.
Also Read: How is The UK Government Addressing School Funding Issues In England?
What do strikes mean for patients?
Of course, the service can’t continue without the workers. Demonstrating this is sort of the point of the strike action: if the service simply carried on, then there wouldn’t be any point in the workers striking. While we might see some triage to minimise the effects (like non-urgent cases being deprioritised), the fact is that the service will be notably worse on the days mentioned.
So, we should expect to see a reduction in a healthcare capacity, and, as a consequence, an increase in illness and deaths. Hospitals in England have canceled at least 88,000 appointments as a result of the strikes, according to figures released by the British Medical Association. 101,707 inpatient appointments have been canceled.
If you believe yourself to have suffered as a result of strike action, then it might be that you’re entitled to compensation for hospital negligence. Consult an appropriate solicitor. You might be able to proceed on a no-win, no-fee basis.
