999 Response will remain in place

during strike action

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service has worked closely with UNISON to ensure that a 999 response will be maintained during the day of industrial action on Wednesday 5 October.

All emergency crews will be reporting for duty as will non-emergency staff who are at times required to support the provision of NIAS emergency response.

Brian McNeill, NIAS Director of Operations, said today

“After constructive engagement with UNISON representatives, agreement has been reached to ensure that the 999 service is protected throughout the day of action. Although non-emergency response may be affected, we will seek to ensure that all clinically critical patients will receive the appropriate response.

At this point we are unsure of the full impact that the industrial action will have on our daily activities. However we would ask those who require an ambulance in, particularly, life threatening situations to immediately call 999. We would also ask that those whose need may not be so urgent to consider if there are other ways of dealing with their situation. To do so would help us to ensure that those who really need help, get it.”