Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to help mitigate the potential impact of planned industrial action by ambulance workers on acute health services in (a) Shropshire and (b) Telford and Wrekin.

NHS England are leading national discussions to agree principles for determining derogations locally, including Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin. Employers and trade unions should discuss local derogations, which will identify which services are exempt from strike action in order to protect patient safety.

Exercise ‘Arctic Willow’, a multi-day exercise for integrated care boards (ICBs) working with trusts, is currently taking place. This will test the system to ensure services can respond to multiple, concurrent events. Data from this exercise will be coordinated through ICBs and submitted to NHS England. Findings will be complete by mid-December.