Responding to the publication today (Thursday) of NHS England data on ambulance handover delays, UNISON acting head of health Helga Pile said:
“Ambulance handover delays are a critical sign the NHS is struggling to cope with unbearable demand.
“The pressure is on all year round especially in the winter and government inaction is to blame.
“Ministers need to wake up and start fixing the problems in the NHS. Top of that list must be solving the staffing crisis.
“Services are stretched to breaking point because there are too few staff. Highly skilled employees have had enough and are leaving for better-paid, less stressful work elsewhere.
“If the government carries on burying its head in the sand, nothing will improve and patients continue to suffer.”
Notes to editors:
– UNISON is the UK’s largest union with more than 1.3 million members providing public services in education, local government, the NHS, police service and energy. They are employed in the public, voluntary and private sectors.
Media contacts:
Liz Chinchen M: 07778 158175 E: press@unison.co.uk
Fatima Ayad M: 07508 080383 E: f.ayad@unison.co.uk
The article Government inaction to blame for ambulance handover delays, says UNISON first appeared on the UNISON National site.
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