Ambulance strikes: What to do if you need an ambulance

The action, which will affect non-life-threatening calls, comes amid disputes over pay. 

Members from three unions, GMB, Unison and Unite which represent 25,000 ambulance workers voted for a strike over the Government’s 4% pay award as a real-term pay cut with the UK’s current inflation standing at 11%.

With much of England and Wales covered by the strikes across nine trusts, many will be wondering what they should do if they need to call an ambulance. 

Let’s be absolutely clear - this is a crisis made by this @GOVUK. It is their responsibility to sort this. Creating a stable pay structure based on a decent pay deal would be a start. #NHS #AmbulanceStrike https://t.co/EQJNyQ9tpM pic.twitter.com/7brvkvCoPP

— Sharon Graham (@UniteSharon) December 11, 2022

What to do if you need an ambulance during strikes

Ambulances will still be responding to life-threatening situations, such as heart attacks. 

But the advice given by the Department of Health and Social Care is still for people to call 999 in an emergency. 

If you have concerned about health issues or think it's not an emergency, you can call 111 who can advise you. 

There are also military personnel being drafted to provide support on ambulance calls during the strike but will not drive ambulances on blue lights for the most serious calls.

Can you get an ambulance during strikes? 

Calls and responses are categorised under three situations, from one to four. 

If a call is in category one, it will be responded to as they are the most life-threatening, such as cardiac arrest. 

Some ambulance trusts have agreed to exemptions with unions for specific incidents within so-called category 2 which cover serious conditions, such as stroke or chest pain.

However, patients in category three – typically including falls and category four are unlikely to be sent an ambulance during the strikes.