Welsh Ambulance Service Strike Action February 20-22, 2023 – Update
On Monday 20 - Wednesday 22 February, 2023 industrial action is being taken by trade unions representing staff in the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust. This action will be extremely challenging and have a significant impact on the Trust's ability to respond to 999 calls.
Inevitably, healthcare services will be disrupted, and everyone is being asked to use Welsh Ambulance Services carefully at this difficult time.
Patients should only call 999 if seriously ill or injured and there is a risk to life. Ambulances will still be able to respond in these situations, but this may only be where there is an immediate risk to life. It is likely that only life-threatening illnesses or injuries will receive an emergency response for the duration of the strike action and some patients might be asked to make an alternative arrangement, such as making their own way to hospital. Patients whose pre-booked appointments are affected have been contacted directly.
For patients who need to access health care and support:
- The NHS 111 Wales website should be your first port of call for health advice and information.
- You can also speak to a pharmacist for a range of conditions, including a sore throat and conjunctivitis. More information can be found here.
- Our Minor Injuries Units can help with conditions such as cuts and minor burns, sprains, dislocation of fingers and toes and foreign bodies in eyes and ears. Ysbyty Cwm Cynon MIU is a walk-in service open from Monday – Friday 9am-5pm. Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda MIU is a phone first service, please phone 111 ahead of attending. More information can be found here.
- Eye Care Wales is a free service which can help with a range of eye conditions in your community. More information can be found here.
- Dental support - if you don't have an NHS dentist and you have an emergency with swelling or bleeding, then you can call our emergency team on 0300 123 5060.
- GP – your local practice team can help with a wide range of conditions which cannot be supported by other community services. However, as a result of the strike action, GP practices are expecting an increase in calls from patients requiring urgent treatment and advice. Therefore some practices may consider only providing appointments to those patients with the most urgent and serious health needs during the period of the strike.
- You can call 111 with an urgent concern, but high call volume means you need to be prepared for a lengthy wait for your call to be answered.
Please also help up by:
- Using over the counter remedies for common ailments, where appropriate.
- Ensuring you have adequate first aid kit supplies in the event you need to administer self-care for minor injuries at home.
- Taking extra care to avoid slips, trips and falls, and accidents on the road.
- Looking out for family, friends and neighbours who are especially vulnerable.
Maternity Services
The industrial action affecting the Welsh Ambulance Service will result in a change of maternity provision between Sunday 19 February 2023 18.00hrs and Thursday 23 February 2023 06.00hrs.
For the safety of mothers and babies, we are not offering a service at Tirion Freestanding Birth Centre during this period of time. For women planning homebirth, we would strongly recommend that you access midwifery-led care within a hospital setting.
Based upon this situation, women should arrange to attend Prince Charles Hospital (Merthyr Tydfil) or Princess of Wales Hospital (Bridgend) where we will continue to fully support them birth plan, including midwife-led care, midwife led areas and water birth facilities.
Please note community midwifery service provision will remain unchanged, therefore should urgent unplanned community care be required, this will be provided.
If you need further information or support, please don’t hesitate to contact your community midwife or maternity unit.
Full details of the GMB strike are available on the Welsh Ambulance Service website.
17/02/2023