Unite demands 45-minute maximum ambulance waiting times outside emergency departments to reduce pressures on service

Unite has released data revealing the crisis in night-time shift cover in Northern Ireland’s Ambulance Service (NIAS). The figures cover a 30 day period from 2 April to 1 May and include shift staffing for double-crewed ambulances (DCAs) and rapid response vehicles (RRVs). On only four nights did the number of DCA crews meet the target number of shifts; in RRV shifts, the target was not reached day or night for the entire 30 days. There were huge variation more locally with some areas having surplus cover while at the same time others were left without any cover.

The crisis in shift cover in NIAS is rooted in a long-term failure to recruit and retain workers as well as the practice of having ambulances waiting hours outside hospitals to handover patients.

The union’s NIAS membership is calling for the immediate introduction of a 45-minute maximum waiting time for ambulances to be parked outside emergency departments with all patients being accepted by hospitals at that point.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The latest figures are shocking but not a surprise to our members. They have been constantly warning that short staffing is endangering the lives of patients.

“Our members in NIAS have had enough. They and their patients are left to wait hours outside emergency departments so that trusts can massage their waiting times. We are demanding an absolute limit of 45-minute waiting outside emergency departments. That would be a meaningful step to reduce pressures.”

Unite members in the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service continue to participate in a work to rule which commenced in November 2024 over staff welfare and safe staffing.

Unite regional officer Norman Cunningham said: “Workers are being forced to take industrial action because management has refused to listen to their concerns. NIAS bosses need to back off plans to change rotas which will only further decrease night cover and instead focus on covering the existing shifts.” 

ENDS…

Note for editors: (i) The figures were obtained by paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and were collated by Unite are available at this link.

(ii) Shortfalls for RRV staffing cover against the targets over the period were 27.2 percent for days and 42.8 per cent for nights. The shortfall on DCA night shifts overall was 7.3 percent. Only for DCA day shifts was cover consistently enough to meet need. The figures also revealed the huge reliance on overtime shifts – especially during days. These covered 12.5 per cent of all day DCA shifts and 20.3 per cent  of all RRV day shifts. The figures for nighttime overtime cover were far lower reflecting the problems relying on overtime to resolve a wider shift problem.

For further information or to arrange an interview, contact Donal O’Cofaigh, Unite campaigns, communications & press (NI), tel. 07810 157926.