Industrial action by EMAS and WMAS

We have been updating you on the latest position with regard to industrial action in the NHS and last week we explained that trade unions representing NHS staff across the country have been balloting their members, and that they recently advised the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care that they are in dispute over the 2022/23 pay award and patient safety concerns. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) announced that strike action would be taking place in some parts of the country on Thursday 15 December and Tuesday 20 December but this would not affect every area or employer.

In Derby and Derbyshire, the ballot of RCN members at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton, Chesterfield Royal Hospital, Derbyshire Community Healthcare Services (DCHS) and Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (DHcFT) either did not reach the threshold or opted not to take industrial action; DCHS and DHcFT did reach the threshold and the RCN has decided not to focus on Derbyshire in December. Therefore, no industrial action took place at acute hospitals and community healthcare providers across Derbyshire on 15 December and none is taking place on 20 December 2022.  The advice continues to be that patients who have appointments, or need to use any NHS services, should continue to attend unless they are directed otherwise. For more detailed information please go the Joined Up Care Derbyshire website here .

Staff in Nottinghamshire did reach the threshold to strike and after taking part in the first day of strike action on Thursday 15 December, they are also taking part in the second day today Tuesday 20^th December. You can find out more about the plans to manage this situation at the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board website here . On 13 December the Royal College of Midwives in England announced that their ballot for industrial action had not reached the threshold to strike and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy will declare their position in January. We will update on any further developments as they arise.

We also committed to update you in more detail on the strike action planned by ambulance service unions across England and Wales for 21 and 28 December. The ballot in Derbyshire did reach the required threshold to have a mandate to strike and to take action short of a strike. This will affect the East Midlands Ambulance Service who provide most of our services in Derby and Derbyshire and also West Midlands Ambulance Service who provide services in the Staffordshire border areas of Derbyshire and also convey patients to University Hospitals of Derby and Burton. We can confirm that that this is still scheduled to go ahead and that strike action for EMAS and WMAS is planned to take place on Wednesday, 21 December from 06.00 hours to 05.59 hours on Thursday, 22 December; and Wednesday, 28 December 2022, from 06.00 hours to 05.59 hours on Thursday, 29 December 2022.You can find further information about the plans to ensure that patient and staff safety, welfare, dignity, or respect are not jeopardised by industrial action on the EMAS website at here . The West Midlands Ambulance Service website can be found here .

We value staff across our health and care system for their hard work and commitment to patients and we respect their right to raise their concerns through their trade unions. We hope that a satisfactory resolution can be reached quickly and in the meantime we are doing everything we can to ensure that NHS services continue to be delivered safely and effectively.

As always we would be grateful for your support in helping us to share this message with your colleagues and wider networks and we will continue to keep you updated on any new developments.

Thank you in advance of your cooperation.