The walls covered with graffiti and little hearts and the applause from the windows of the toughest days of the Covid emergency are just a memory. In the UK thousands of nurses and nurses in the British public health system (NHS) have announced the strike to protest against the measures of the conservative government of Rishi Sunak: they ask for the adjustment of wages beyond the wall of galloping inflation in the wake of the disputes initiated in recent months by the workers of various essential services.
Today is the third day of absence from work for the category. I am crossing my arms ambulance attendants, who call for less low salaries, but also emergency initiatives to cover shortages of personnel and vehicles, signaled for some time in various areas of the country by increasingly frequent complaints about record data relating to waiting times or queues in emergency rooms. They will only speak for the transport of persons in imminent danger of death and it may not be enough despite the (limited) military replacement intervention promised by the government. Military who in the next few days will be called to take over airport and passport controls as well as employees of the customs service: in turn on the eve of strikes foreseen in this case also in the middle of the Christmas period.
Prime Minister Sunak, interviewed by the Daily Mail, reiterated the line “of firmness” of the executive towards this as well as other strategic public service categories of the Kingdom went down on a war footing (primarily in the bellicose railway sector). He said he is ready to negotiate, but only on the basis of adjustments deemed sustainable for the state budget. While the union leader of the Rcn, Pat Cullen, denounced the government’s attitude as rigid, warning that the dispute – after the expected break over the Christmas and New Year period – could last much longer in 2023, up to “six months “.
“Use common sense”
Meanwhile, the British health minister, Steve Barclaymeanwhile, he urged citizens to “use common sense” to avoid putting themselves in situations that require going to the hospital.
A concept that was most clearly exemplified by the Director of the National Health Service of England, Stephen Powiswho advised against “getting drunk to the point of having to go to the emergency room: today certainly isn’t a good day to go if it really isn’t necessary.”
Powis said today will be “a very difficult day” for the health system, but assured that assistance will be guaranteed even for serious cases such as heart attacks and strokes. Yesterday he was the Undersecretary of Health, Will Quinceto recommend avoiding contact sports and carrying out other risky sports activities, such as running on icy roads, to avoid having to go – by car, since the ambulances are on strike – to the emergency room.
