More than 1,000 Yorkshire Ambulance Service workers to strike

The service is urging people to only call 999 for an ambulance on Monday in life-threatening or very serious incidents Credit: PA

More than a thousand Yorkshire Ambulance Service workers will take part in the next national strike on Monday 6 February.

The service says around 1,370 of the trust's 7,000-strong workforce will walk out in the dispute over pay.

The strike, organised by the GMB Union, coincides with industrial action by nurses at many NHS trusts in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and strike action affecting East Midlands Ambulance Service.

The public is being urged to only call 999 for an ambulance in the event of a life-threatening or very serious incident.

Ambulance workers have already staged a number of strikes across the UK this year

Nick Smith, Executive Director of Operations at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: "We will have less resources available to respond to patients on Monday 6 February. Services will be severely disrupted, with the likelihood of delays in emergency responses and telephone calls to 999 and NHS 111 being answered.

"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."

The walkout follows a number of previous walkouts by NHS workers since December.

The government said it is regrettable the strikes are going ahead, but that the health service has contingency plans in place.