News

WMAS Staff balloted over strike plan

Ambulance staff in the West Midlands are being balloted over potential strike action.

Members of the union UNISON are voting on whether to join a nationwide day of action, on 30 November, over pension changes.

Ravi Subramanian, Regional Secretary for UNISON, said it was the biggest ballot in the trade union's history.

999 is for life threatening emergencies

Residents of the West Midlands Region are being urged not to call an ambulance unless it is an emergency after new figures revealed 999 calls have increased by five per cent each year for the last 15 years.

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West Midlands Ambulance Service receives more than 2,500 emergency calls each day but of those only around ten per cent are genuine emergencies such as a person choking, falling unconscious or having chest pains, serious blood loss or a stroke.

Prevention of Foodborne Disease: The Five Keys to Safer Food

There is a growing demand for food safety information at the international, national and local level. Working with WHO’s network of regional and national offices and partner organisations, the Five Keys messages.

Private 999 ambulances cost criticised

Patient representatives have expressed concern that millions of pounds are being spent by the NHS on private ambulances in the South East.

South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) spent £7.8m in the past three years on private contractors, figures obtained by the BBC.

Nurses fear for jobs as others face cuts in pay

Hundreds of North Staffordshire nurses will be told next month if they will be made jobless – or lose up to £7,000 a year.

They have had to fight to keep their posts as the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS) cuts its wage bill by millions of pounds.

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