Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Ambulance Services: Strikes

Tuesday 24 January 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Minister introduced contingency measures including military personnel to drive ambulances and community first responders to assist during strikes.
  • Minister thanked call handlers for halving 999 calls and reducing average call answering times to three seconds.
  • Rachael Maskell questioned why clinical support improves decision-making only on strike days rather than all year.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jack Lopresti Con
NHS
Context

The question is prompted by ongoing strikes affecting ambulance services, leading to concerns about service continuity and safety for the public.

Question

What steps he is taking to ensure that ambulance services continue to operate during strikes. He asked what measures are being taken to maintain critical healthcare operations amidst industrial action.

Answer from Steve Barclay

We have introduced a range of contingency measures, such as the provision of military personnel available for driving ambulances and community first responders assisting before ambulances arrive. These steps aim to ensure continued service operation during strikes.

Answered
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Q2 Jack Lopresti Con
NHS
Context

The question is prompted by recent improvements in call answering times at South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, alongside criticism directed towards the Leader of the Opposition during PM's Question Time.

Question

Will my right hon. Friend join me in thanking call handlers for halving 999 calls and reducing average call answering times to just three seconds over the last month? Will he also express dismay at the approach taken by the Leader of the Opposition during recent Prime Minister's Question Time?

Answer from Steve Barclay

I am happy to join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to the work of call handlers at South Western Ambulance Service, and to the staff there as a whole. The improved performance noted recently is right and also right to point out that all parts of the United Kingdom have faced considerable challenges over Christmas.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The criticism towards the opposition was not directly relevant to answering the question about call handlers' performance.

How: Discussing Other Related Issues

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Q3 Rachael Maskell Labour (Co-op) York Central
NHS
Context

The question is prompted by observations made in the Health and Social Care Committee that strike days see a drop in demand but also an increase in clinical value and cost-effectiveness. This contrasts with regular operational days.

Question

Why does increased clinical support lead to better decision-making on strike days rather than every day of the year?

Answer from Steve Barclay

We are taking steps to improve performance, and I thought you were going to refer to your own Front Bench criticism. We on this side spend significant time with clinicians to understand their needs, unlike those opposite us.

Not addressed: The question about clinical support was not answered; instead, the response criticised the opposition's approach and understanding of clinician needs.

How: Criticising The Opposition, Shifting Focus To Opposing Party

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