‘More patients could die’ after 999 crews unite to keep breaks

Members of Unite and Unison, which represent the vast majority of paramedic crews, turned down the revised offer from the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) yesterday for crews responding to emergency calls during their meal breaks.

Senior officials had recommended members accept the deal, which GMB members had already rejected.

The dispute flared following the furore over the death of Mandy Mathieson in October last year at her home in the Speyside village of Tomintoul. An ambulance technician – on duty just 800 yards from her home – chose not to respond to an emergency call.

Margaret Watt, chairwoman of the Patients’ Association Scotland, last night warned that more patients could die unless a settlement was reached.

She said: “We would hope and pray to God that no patient would lose their life again. Enough lives have been lost because of this dispute.

“It is very sad. They [the unions] would have been better taking what was offered and going back to the table and continuing the negotiations.”

Murdo Fraser, the Conservative health spokesman, called on the Scottish Government to intervene.

“It is now clear that health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has to take personal responsibility for this issue, get involved and knock heads together,” he said.

“If it does prove impossible to find a national solution then at the very least it is vital we have an agreement for protocol in rural areas. These are the areas most affected by the issue.”

Ms Sturgeon was said by Holyrood sources to be “furious” about the rejection of the latest offer.

She said: “This is an extremely disappointing result to the union ballot. The offer made was a fair and reasonable one and the unions involved had advised their members to accept it.

“The fact is that a solution must be found to this issue. I have asked the SAS to advise me urgently on what steps they propose to take next.”

Almost 80 per cent of Unison and Unite members rejected the revised offer of a £50 payment for each call-out, on top of an annual payment of £25.

Peter Rafferty, Unite’s Scottish Secretary, said: “Our members want to see the Scottish Ambulance Service properly resourced and fit to serve the public. Instead they have been demonised for opposing imposed working time changes.”

John Gallacher, Unite’s Scottish ambulance service convener, said the unions were planning to hold talks with SAS management at the earliest opportunity to try to find a settlement, but he admitted finding a solution would be no easy task.

“If you ask three people in the service what the answer is you will get three options,” he said. “There isn’t one answer and whatever it is, it is going to cost an awful lot of money.”

The strength of opposition to the latest offer was made clear in messages posted on the Unite website. One union member said: “We will be getting a measly £250 a year to have to stay on station during a meal break we are not getting paid for. They can stick their money. Nothing is worth giving up my 30 minutes unpaid break.”

David Forbes, Scottish regional organiser of Unison, said: “We have been told in no uncertain terms by our members that they really value the ability to go off the job because many crews are run off their feet.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “It is disappointing this [offer] has been rejected.”