PATIENTS in Yorkshire are likely to face 'significant delays' in getting an ambulance tomorrow as staff stage their second one-day strike.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service said industrial action by members of the GMB and UNISON union would mean severe disruption to services.

It said it was once again urging members of the public to only dial 999 for an ambulance where a patient had a life-threatening or very serious condition.

GMB members are set to strike for 24 hours, from midnight to midnight, while UNISON members will strike between 10am and 10pm, as part of a national pay dispute with the government. 

"This means that all services operated by the Trust will be impacted, including A&E Operations (frontline emergency ambulances and 999 call handling), non-emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS) and NHS 111," said a service spokesperson.

They said union membership was approximately 4,150 staff out of a workforce of over 7,000. 

"Yorkshire Ambulance Service has put a number of contingency plans in place to allow it to respond to high acuity life-threatening and very serious cases during the strike," they said.

"Discussions between GMB and UNISON representatives and the Yorkshire Ambulance Service senior management team will result in derogations (also known as exemptions) being put in place. 

"For our emergency ambulance service, this will include responding to calls where someone is in a life-threatening condition.

"For our non-emergency PTS, there are plans to run an essential-only service for patients who need essential life-saving treatment such as renal dialysis, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other cancer treatment, end-of-life patients and palliative care transport, and limited service for in-patients who are medically fit for discharge from hospital."

Nick Smith, Executive Director of Operations, said that during the strike held just before Christmas, the public responded as we’d asked them to and used the emergency service appropriately for very serious and life-threatening incidents. 

"We are urging the public to use all of our services more wisely, but particularly the emergency ambulance service. 

"We will be here for those who really need us, but you should only call 999 when someone is in a life-threatening or very serious condition as we prioritise our responses.

“Ambulances will still be able to respond during the strike, but this will only be where there is an immediate risk to life.

"Less serious calls may not receive a response or a significantly delayed response for the duration of the strike action and some patients might be asked to make their own way to hospital, where it is safe for them to so.

“Patients waiting for an ambulance should only call back if their symptoms worsen or to cancel an ambulance if alternative transport has been arranged, so that our lines are available to take new emergency calls.

“We also ask that people seek help and advice from alternative healthcare providers, including NHS 111 Online (111.nhs.uk), their own GP or by visiting a pharmacist.”