There are two statistics, drawn from recent Freedom of Information (FOI) answers from an ambulance trust, which exposes the mountain of hypocrisy and falsehoods being trotted out by the government, its spin doctors  and the health minister, Steve Barclay. 

It has emerged from FOI inquiries that West Midlands Ambulance Trust has had a staggering increase in patient deaths due to ambulance delays in reaching patients. In 2020 according to the official figures one patient died because an ambulance didn’t get to them in time. This year until September 37 people have died because of ambulance delays.

Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite said “The shocking statistics from West Midlands Ambulance Trust tell the real story. Where were the government’s ‘tried and tested plans’ in the West Midlands all year before the NHS strikes? Where were their ‘well-rehearsed contingency plans’ when people were dying in the West Midlands because the crisis in the ambulance service meant an ambulance couldn’t get to them in time. 

“The government, its spin doctors and the health secretary are guilty of building an Everest of hypocrisy and falsehoods on the NHS crisis. This government is guilty of criminal negligence in its hollowing out of the NHS long before now. The strikers are actually trying to save the service”.

Notes to Editor

BBC Newsnight full article

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Notes to editors

For media enquiries ONLY please contact Unite senior communications officer Barckley Sumner on 07802 329235 or 0203 371 2067.

Email: [email protected]

Unite is the UK and Ireland’s leading union fighting to protect and advance jobs, pay and conditions for members working across all sectors of the economy. The general secretary is Sharon Graham.