The public are asked once again to only call for an ambulance if there is a serious risk to life due to severe disruptions to the emergency services.

Thousands of nurses and ambulance and A&E Operations staff in England are due to strike on Monday, February 6, in what many predict will be the biggest strike day the NHS has ever seen.

This industrial action is part of an ongoing pay dispute with the government.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust is once again asking members of the public to only call for an ambulance where a patient is in a life-threatening or very serious condition due to staff shortages. 

The non-emergency Patient Transport Service (PTS) is expected to have minimal disruption. 

York Press: The strikes planned for the rest of the monthThe strikes planned for the rest of the month (Image: PA)

Nick Smith, Executive Director of Operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: "During the previous three strike days, the public used our emergency service appropriately for very serious and life-threatening incidents. This was very helpful and eased the challenges we faced. 

"Once again, we are asking the public to use our services wisely, particularly our 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, 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.”

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said he is concerned that the strike by ambulance staff will put lives at risk.

He said on BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg that the Royal College of Nursing union has told the NHS where they will be striking and therefore has enabled emergency cover to be put in place, but claimed ambulance unions have not provided such information.

However, the Yorkshire Ambulance Service has said a number of contingency plans have been put in place to enable them to respond to high acuity life-threatening and very serious cases during the strike.