A serious incident has been declared at Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals as ambulance strikes begin

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Ambulances queue outside the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on Tuesday evening. Photo: Bernie Benteke

The incident, on the eve of the ambulance workers’ strike, was announced by the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) on Tuesday afternoon.

The decision came as more than a dozen ambulances lined up at both hospitals, with the queue extending onto the main road at both the Shrewsbury and Telford sites.

One family told how their father, who has a heart condition, was told no one could be with him at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford because there was no room in the waiting area.

His family took him to A&E after they were told they might have to wait hours for an ambulance to arrive.

In a message to the staff, the secretariat said that both hospitals are under a lot of pressure.

Staff have been urged to do everything they can to support the safe discharge of patients from hospital and to reduce delays in ambulance delivery.

“Every ambulance should be available in the community as we head into tomorrow,” the letter said.

The strike will see Unite members walk out from 6am to 5.59pm on Wednesday, while GMB union members will strike all day.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) has confirmed the outcome of its discussions with staff about the level of service to be provided during Wednesday’s strike.

In a statement, WMAS Delivery Director of Emergency Services Operations Nathan Hudson said there was agreement that the crew would attend to “the most urgent calls such as heart attacks,” as well as “other very serious conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, difficulty breathing, and delivery cases.” .

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