Ambulance staff in weekend walkout

Unite members at the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, which has bases in Moorgate and Wath, walked out on strike at 3pm last Saturday until 7am on Sunday.

The action was part of a protest against new shift patterns which the union claims could affect patient safety.

Ian Brandwood, from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said he was “very disappointed” Unite had decided to go ahead with the action.

Mr Brandwood claimed the trust had held “constructive talks” with the union over the dispute.

The dispute started in summer 2013, with the union holding a number of days of strike action since then.

Unite represents about 375 of the trust's 4,600 employees and is not recognised by the trust for the purposes of collective bargaining.

Unite said that the new shift patterns could mean staff working ten hours without a meal break.

The union has claimed this would be “unsafe” for staff and could risk patient safety — an allegation the trust has denied.