Critical incident declared by Yorkshire Ambulance Service as staff prepare to strike

A critical incident has been declared by the Yorkshire Ambulance Service just one day before staff are set to walkout.

The NHS Trust said that it was experiencing "high levels of demand, significant delays for patients waiting for an ambulance and delays in handing over patients at hospitals".

The service announced the critical incident in a notice to staff, which was shown to ITV News Calendar, at 1pm on Tuesday, 20 December.

Nick Smith, executive director of operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, told ITV News: "We've seen over the last week or so a significant increase in demand onto the ambulance service, which means extended response times.

"I think the pressure's been there for the last few years within the organisation."

He added that last night was the "worst and most challenging" point of the year for the service.

By declaring a critical incident, the Trust says it is able to seek assistance from partners in the healthcare community, which will help them "respond to the ongoing demand".

In the letter to staff, a spokesperson for the Trust said that it remains at the "highest level of escalation" and that additional measures may be needed, as well as those in place due to the upcoming strike action.

Up to 50% of Yorkshire Ambulance staff members are expected to strike for two days in a dispute over pay.

GMB union members will strike on 21 and 28 December for 24 hours on each day. UNISON members will also take strike action, but only for 12 hours on 21 December.

Around 4,000 out of 7,000 Yorkshire Ambulance staff members belong to the two unions and all those scheduled to work on strike days are set to walkout.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.