Shropshire MP seeks reassurance about patient safety in event of ambulance strikes
Unions and NHS leaders will work together to protect the safety of patients in the event of an ambulance strike, a Shropshire MP has been told.
Health minister Will Quince assured Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, that talks were being held regarding local "derogations", which would ensure that some staff continued to work in the event of a strike.
Mr Pritchard had tabled a question to Health Secretary Steve Barclay asking whether he planned to take steps to help mitigate the potential impact of industrial action by ambulance workers on acute health services in Shropshire.
Mr Quince said NHS England was leading national discussions to agree principles for determining derogations locally, including Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin.
"Employers and trade unions should discuss local derogations, which will identify which services are exempt from strike action in order to protect patient safety."
Exercise ‘Arctic Willow’, a multi-day exercise for integrated care boards (ICBs) working with trusts, is currently taking place.
This will test the system to ensure services can respond to multiple, concurrent events. Data from this exercise will be coordinated through ICBs and submitted to NHS England. Findings will be complete by mid-December.
