SCAS has been planning for a number of months to reduce the impact of industrial action; and plans are in place for RCN action being taken elsewhere in local NHS services on 18 and 19 January.
On the days of industrial action the Trust will set up a virtual control and command centre and place additional staff in local hospitals where industrial action is taking place. This is designed to help support our hospital colleagues, ambulance crews and patients, to ensure those who require urgent and emergency hospital care will continue to get responsive and high-quality care.
As you are no doubt aware, the NHS as a whole is under significant pressure. We continue to urge people to only call 999 in a life-threatening or serious emergency. Patients who may require an ambulance response where it is not time-critical or serious may, at times, face a longer wait for a response than the national target times of two or three hours. We would ask for your patience if this happens and only call us back if the patient’s condition worsens.
Pharmacists, your local GP, urgent treatment centres and the NHS App are all available and can advise on a range of minor illnesses and injuries, provide advice on managing symptoms and getting repeat prescriptions.
Find out more about alternatives to 999