In an emergency situation, the Army may be able to take over for hospital personnel and drive ambulances.
Officials from the defence and health sectors are preparing a contingency strategy. Paramedics, ambulance drivers, and nurses may consider joining them on the picket lines.
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This was first reported by The TimesThe Government might use the protocol of military assistance to civil authorities (Maca), to ensure that key services are maintained in the NHS during major walkouts.
You could call 999 to have them answer your calls. Guardian Report earlier this month.
Maca was used to provide support for health workers during the Coronavirus Pandemic.
The Ministry of Defence has not received a formal request from the Department of Health and Social Care for assistance.
From September 1989 to February 90, ambulance drivers were on strike. The army, navy, and air forces all assisted in transporting patients to medical care.
Early this week, union bosses insist that cancer care won’t be stopped because nurses are on strike.
According to a spokesperson for the Government, “We work with NHS to develop a range options to reduce disruptions to care and health services in industrial action.”
“Hospitals will do everything they can to ensure patients and the public are kept safe, however planned appointments may need to be cancelled and emergency care prioritised to those in need of urgent care only.”
It looked grim that strikes could be called off before Christmas, after Transport Secretary Mark Harper announced that the public sector would see a rise in its pay due to soaring inflation “unaffordable”.
According to the cabinet minister, “simply isn’t the money” to satisfy the demands of workers who are preparing for industrial action, but suggested that there might be progress in negotiations over rail strikes.
Harper stated that there was a change of the mandate to negotiate and suggested pay raises for rail workers if they accept reforms. “positive” Discussions with Mick Lynch, Rail, Maritime and Transport union general secretary.
The UK’s first strike action by nurses is set for next month. Nurses will join the transport and postal workers in the picket line dispute over pay and working conditions.
Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Mr Harper stated that “Inflation-matching and inflation-busting wage rises cannot be afforded.”
“I think that we need to give workers in public sectors who have worked very hard decent wages, but these cannot be inflation-busting raises.
“There simply isn’t the money to pay for those given the context, we haven’t seen those in the private sector either, the private sector pay rises have generally been settled below the level of inflation, which I accept is difficult for people.”
According to him, rail bosses are a problem. “will have the ability to reach a deal”When asked whether they had the authority to effectively negotiate with RMTs, they said no.
“But we have to be able to have that reform package negotiated, because it’s only that that throws up the savings,” Harper, Mr.
“I do not have a bottomless pit of taxpayers’ money to throw at this problem.”
If the dispute does not get resolved, Royal College of Nursing members from England, Wales and Northern Ireland (RCN), will be forced to walk out of their homes on December 15, 20 and 21.
Steve Barclay, Health Secretary has asked the nursing union for its support “come back to the table” He is available for talks, but will not discuss pay. Instead, he wants to speak about conditions like pension arrangements, holidays rosters, and availability of coffee free.