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Fears ambulance strikes will put lives at risk after unions refuse to reveal which areas will walkout today
THE NHS today faces its worst day of strikes ever — with the Government warning lives are being put at risk.
Ambulance drivers are set to join nurses in walking out.
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Brits face a “postcode lottery” of care across the country with tens of thousands of staff returning to picket lines.
Up to 600 Armed Forces personnel were last night ready to step in to ease the chaos as talks over pay and conditions were gridlocked.
Business Secretary Grant Shapps warned it was always the poorest who were hit the hardest by industrial action.
When grilled on whether the unions’ plans would put lives at risk today, he replied: “I’m concerned that it does.”
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He said union leaders were leaving it to the last minute to give local chiefs information about where they would walk out, leaving them unable to plan.
Mr Shapps added: “People have a right to strike, but also have a right to life and limb, and livelihood.”
Royal College of Nursing chief Pat Cullen said a “meaningful” pay offer could see strikes called off after Welsh unions hit pause.
But government insiders said they’d had no recommendations of a similar agreement in England.
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And Unite’s Sharon Graham said there were “no talks at any level” about NHS pay.
She said: “It will be the biggest day of industrial action in the 75-year history of the NHS.”
Labour’s Shadow Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds could not promise the ten per cent pay rise nurses want.
He admitted on Sky: “Realistically, the top opening offer, no, we probably wouldn’t be able to meet that.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “It’s time for the unions to engage in constructive dialogue.”
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