STRIKES by members of the National Ambulance Service in coming weeks will heap more pressure on a struggling health service this summer, public representatives have warned.

Tuesday’s industrial action saw around 2,000 SIPTU and Unite union members, including West Cork ambulance workers, engage in a 24-hour work stoppage and picket.

A one-day stoppage is planned for next Tuesday with a three-day stoppage the following week unless renewed pay discussions begin.

On Tuesday picketing ambulance workers in Bantry – who were supported by passing motorists sounding their car horn - echoed the sentiment of their colleagues elsewhere and vowed they were prepared for the long haul.

The Department of Health said it is ‘regrettable’ that the strike went ahead and it admitted it would have a significant impact on service capacity.

The HSE has warned of delays in responding to non-life-threatening emergencies during the industrial action. I

t said it had ‘made every effort’ to minimise the impact on patients but admitted: ‘We know there were significant delays in ambulance response times.’

A spokesperson added: ‘The HSE remains firmly committed to addressing the current dispute through the process set out in Public Service Agreement 2024-2026.’

SIPTU ambulance sector organiser, John McCamley, called on the HSE to implement the recommendation of an independent report to introduce an enhanced pay scale which ‘properly recognises the training and professional level at which his members now carry out their duties daily’.

‘Over the years ambulance personnel have implemented changes within the service, seeing the model move away from patient transports to a higher level of pre-hospital care and treatment,’ he said.

‘Since 2011, EMTs and paramedics have increased their responsibility for administering various medications by 89% and 83% respectively. All we are asking is that like other health professionals, their training and qualification are respected and recognised in an appropriate pay and grading structure which takes account of the major workplace changes which have taken place over the last 20 years.’

Cork South West TD Michael Collins (Ind Ire) said: ‘Ambulance personnel have been raising concerns for years regarding pay, working conditions, responsibilities and the failure to implement recommendation arising from a review completed back in 2020. Yet nothing meaningful was done until industrial action became inevitable.’

He warned that the public will now pay the price and could be facing uncertainty and delays.

At Monday’s meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Daniel Sexton (Ind Ire) said: ‘These workers have taken on significantly expanded clinical duties and it is scandalous that these frontline workers have been waiting six years for their skills and expertise to be recognised.’

‘At a time when demand on ambulance services has risen and staffing shortages are already putting pressure on our emergency services, it is vital that the Government and the HSE engage meaningfully with workers to resolved this dispute urgently.’

Cllr Gillian Coughlan (FF) pointed out that those working in ambulances are ‘advanced medic practitioners’ who prepare patients for pre-surgery before they arrive at hospitals.

‘These paramedics have engaged in much upskilling and training and they haven’t got the commensurate pay and their demands are valid and well founded and it is incumbent on the Minister to re-open negotiations. Now is the time these essential workers should get the pay they deserve for all their training.’