Paramedic, who voted to strike, explains why he wants to leave NHS
10 November 2022, 14:59
Paramedic, who has voted to strike, speaks to LBC
This paramedic, who has only been qualified for 14 months, explains why he already wants to leave the profession after voting to strike.
Matt from Morden told LBC's Shelagh Fogarty that he was one of the 15,000 ambulance workers who voted to strike over pay.
Other unions gave healthcare workers the opportunity to vote, and it was announced yesterday that nurses at the majority of hospitals across the UK have voted to go walkout at the end of the year.
The strike ballot among more than 300,000 members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) was the biggest ever in the union's 106-year history.
Read more: 'I'm at breaking point': Nurses share why they're striking ahead of walkout
Matt told Shelagh that, due to his experience as a healthcare professional, voting to strike was not a tough decision: "I think it's been a long time coming."
"Just to put it in perspective, if I leave now and say, for example, go to a big chain supermarket, I'll be on the same money that I'm on now and I've trained for three years," Matt said.
He revealed he'd only been qualified as a paramedic for just over two years and is already looking to leave the profession.
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His reasons included finishing late consistently despite having already completed a twelve hour shift, and having to complete jobs that are not suitable for the immediate response service, such as social issues.
In his personal experience, he was questioned by his trust over his career choices once a new ambulance fleet was introduced - to cut costs - which he was too tall to work in, being 6 foot 4.
He added another issue: "They're doing rota reviews about what time we need to start and finish. They've based these rotas off of data that has come out before Covid. So before these new demands have come through."
The new rotas mean paramedics work longer days and shorter night shifts, meaning there is unsocial hours fees being paid, meaning in real terms, they receive a 5% pay cut.
Matt continued: "The system's not fit for purpose at the moment, and I think it's something that's been going on for years...it has been unfortunately under this Government.
"They've not dealt with long-term issues, they brought in a new system 111, as opposed to NHS Direct. When that system came in, overnight there was a higher demand on ambulance services.
"It feels like I'm a 24-hour GP."
He shared that he intends to leave the NHS and go private because they'll pay "double amount for the same job role."
