‘Government burying head in sand’ - public still backing NHS strikes as yet more loom

Thousands of ambulance staff across the North West joined a national strike this week as around 11,000 workers walked out in dispute over pay and working conditions in England and Wales. Paramedics, Emergency Care Assistants, call handlers and other staff across Merseyside took part in a 24-hour walk out on Monday.

On the same day, junior doctors voted to take strike action in March with preparations for a 72-hour walkout now under way. The British Medical Association balloted junior doctor members, with 98% cent of votes endorsing calls for industrial action. It comes after years of campaigning from the BMA for full pay restoration, with junior doctors apparently experiencing a 26% real terms pay cut since 2008.

It comes after a wave of strikes have already hit the NHS and health services in a dispute over pay and staffing levels during the cost of living crisis and with a 48-hour walk out by tens of thousands of nurses, including A&E workers planned for next month.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said that no services will be exempt from the upcoming strike, meaning the industrial action could include nursing staff working in emergency departments, intensive care units, cancer care and other services for the first time.

As Monday’s strike by ambulance staff took place across Merseyside, we hit the streets of Liverpool to find out what you think about the industrial action.

’Well I agree with it’

Brian said: "Well I agree with it. They're under pressure all the time and there's not enough of them. It's the same with the nurses. They get treated unfairly - especially with the Tories."

’I think they deserve the extra money’

Stephen said, "I think they deserve the extra money that they're striking for because I think the NHS has had no proper funding from the government for years. The government are burying their head in the sand."

‘They should get what they want’

Andrew said: "They are our frontline services. The NHS deserves better. They should get what they want. I think Rishi Sunak should start talking to the unions properly."

Unions say the government refuses to negotiate fair pay for this current financial year. Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: "Strikes are in nobody's best interests and only cause further disruption for patients, despite contingency measures in place.

"It is time unions engaged constructively with the Pay Review Body process for 2023/24 and cancelled strikes so we can move forward and continue tackling the Covid backlog.

"I've been clear throughout that I remain keen to keep talking to unions about what is fair and affordable for the coming financial year, as well as wider concerns around conditions and workload so we can make the NHS a better place to work."