Ambulance strikes: Paramedics on the picket lines in Northampton speak out about the 'failing NHS system'

Ambulance workers on strike in Northampton have spoken out about why they have been left with no other choice than to unite together on the picket lines.

Thousands of ambulance workers across the country from three unions are taking strike action over pay and staffing issues. GMB, Unison and Unite have said its NHS members, including ambulance staff, paramedics and other NHS workers, have voted to strike.

The Chron went down to Mereway Ambulance Station today (Wednesday) to speak with East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) fighting for better pay and conditions.

Paramedics Tom Matthews (25) and Andy Nially (26), who have worked at at EMAS for five years each, explained why they are striking.

They said: "Everyone knows the NHS has been in absolute crisis. Since we began five years ago it's been on a downwards slope. The last two years in particular have just been atrocious, working conditions are just getting worse and worse, staff retention is getting worse and worse. The morale is just so low. All you hear about is people talking about wanting to leave and move on.

"In our time that we've been working, demand has increased, resources have naturally decreased because we can't meet the demand, and hospital wait times have massively increased.

"I'm really proud of my profession and really passionate about it but it slowly seeps out of you when, like I say, everyday you're just beat down and overworked. It grinds you down."

Asked how they feel about going to work on a day to day basis, the pair said they 'dread it'.

"I dread sometimes going to work, you feel like part of a failing system, you feel like you are failing the public, failing patients, failing staff," they said.

"Every time we go to jobs we are already saying sorry before we walk through the door, apologising that we have not met their demands."

Asked what they hope to achieve through the strikes, Tom and Andy said they 'want to be taken seriously'.

"We want to be taken seriously. We want to be heard about how bad things are. We want to stop the downwards spiral. We want things to start getting better and part of that is pay and working conditions," they said.

The pair went on to address the public criticism of the strikes, which is mainly about those in need of care who will go without.

Tom and Andy said: "It feels awful. We feel really bad. We are responding still to the highest category incidents, because morally we don't feel it's right [not to]. We were hoping it wouldn't get to this but we don't seem to be being taken seriously. This is the only sort of power we really have.

"I understand where they are coming from. The thing is, this is not a spur of the moment thing, this has been a steady deterioration in working standards for years and years and years. In our eyes we can only see it getting worse unless something is done.

"Apologies to anyone affected by the strikes but unfortunately we don't have any other way to express how bad the issue is.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported us.”

Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary said: “Ambulance workers – and the public – deserve better.

“The government needs to talk pay now.”

NHS Confederation has been contacted for comment.