Ambulance Service Industrial action

Industrial action at East Midlands Ambulance Service is due to take place on Wednesday 21 December and Wednesday 28 December. The NHS is working hard to maintain services and keep patients safe during this period when services will be under additional pressure. Please note the following advice:

• It is really important that patients who need urgent medical care continue to come forward as normal, especially in emergency and life-threatening cases – when someone is seriously ill or injured, or their life is at risk.
• If you have a medical appointment and we have not contacted you, please attend your appointment as planned. The NHS will contact you if your appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action.
• GP services are not impacted by this strike action. Please continue to attend your GP appointments, unless you are contacted and told otherwise.
• On days where there is strike action, patients should only call 999 if it is a medical or mental health emergency [when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk]. Please visit the NHS UK website for more information on when to call 999 and when to go to A&E.
• Ambulances will still be able to respond in these situations, but this may only be where there is an immediate risk to life.
• Where the situation is not life-threatening, alternative support will be available through NHS111 online or by telephoning NHS 111 if you don’t have internet access.
• In Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland there are several urgent care services for when you need to be seen quickly, but it isn’t life threatening. When you contact  NHS 111, they may book an appointment for you here, if appropriate for your condition. In some cases you might not need an appointment but you are advised to use NHS 111 first to make sure it is the right place for you and to keep your waiting time to a minimum.

Get in the Know about local health services at: www.getintheknow.co.uk

Further information on the industrial action is available at:  www.emas.nhs.uk