Union calls for COVID-19 jags for Falkirk ambulance control room staff

NHS24 workers and ambulance control room staff should be given the coronavirus vaccine as a matter of priority according to union Unite.
By James Trimble
Published 14th Jan 2021, 14:41 BST
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As fears grow over more COVID-19 outbreaks, Unite is demand Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) control room and NHS24 staff be vaccinated as soon as possible to avoid a situation which could bring the country’s emergency response units to a shutdown.

The union stated around 500 workers are employed by SAS as control room handlers and around 1650 workers are employed at NHS24.

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Unite’s plea for the staff to get vaccinated comes as the Scottish Government published an evidence paper, which informed the latest restrictions, stating that Scotland's R number showed the virus was “likely in another growth phase”.

Unite the union is calling for Scottish Ambulance Service control room staff and NHS24 workers to be given the COVID-19 vaccine as a matter of priorityUnite the union is calling for Scottish Ambulance Service control room staff and NHS24 workers to be given the COVID-19 vaccine as a matter of priority
Unite the union is calling for Scottish Ambulance Service control room staff and NHS24 workers to be given the COVID-19 vaccine as a matter of priority

The Scottish Government has argued that SAS control room staff and NHS24 do not fall into the patient facing category and, as such, should not be given priority over other frontline staff.

Pat Rafferty, Unite Scottish secretary, said: “The reality is if any outbreak of COVID-19 occurred among SAS control room staff or NHS24 workers then the nation’s emergency response capabilities could in effect grind to a halt putting lives at risk.

“There is no sound rationale at all for the Scottish Government stating the workers are not to be prioritised because they are not ‘patient facing’. Without these workers we do not have an effective patient facing operation across our health and emergency response services.

“Therefore, we are demanding the Scottish Government fix this mistake immediately and afford these workers the same protections. “

Related topics:UniteCovid-19Scottish GovernmentFalkirkScotland

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