Ambulance staff across Lincolnshire and Newark say the pressures on them are unbearable

Ambulance staff across Lincolnshire and Newark say the pressures on them are becoming unbearable and are taking a toll on their wellbeing .

This is the second day of health strikes, nurses in this region aren't taking action because their ballot didn't reach the required threshold although East Midlands Ambulance staff are walking out.

We spoke to staff striking on the picket line in Lincoln yesterday.

If the cogs in the system aren't working where does that leave us?

One told us: "You see it in physical health as well as mental health, services being blocked where the waiting lists are just so long."

"It's actually making people more unwell, you're not seeing the best patient outcomes so there's not so much satisfaction and reward from that job."

"Over the last couple of months, as members of staff we've all come together - actually probably over the last couple of years."

"It goes back to a decade of oppression in the NHS - if the cogs in the system aren't working - where does that leave us?"

Government says it's not right to go back to April retrospectively

The Government have responded to the strikes by nurses and ambulance staff.

During a visit to Kingston Hospital in south-west London on Monday, Health Secretary Steve Barclay appeared to rule out negotiations for 2022/23.

"We have been discussing this coming year, from April, pay with the unions," he said.

"We have this process through the pay review body; it's an independent process and we're keen to get the evidence so that that reflects the pressure that the NHS has been under and the wider context in terms of inflation.

"I don't think it's right to go back to last year, to last April, retrospectively.

Government says the door remains open

We should be looking forward to the pay review body that is taking evidence now and working constructively with the trade unions."

He added: "It's right to recognise that there's been ongoing pressures on the NHS (and) inflation has been higher since last year's pay review body process than was originally forecast in the Spending Review 2021."

Meanwhile, asked whether unions should "give up hope" of negotiating on 2022/23 pay, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's official spokesman said: "I think we would say we want to keep talking about ways forward.

"We think it is right to focus on this year's pay and not look backwards.

As the minister said this morning, our door remains open."

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• East Midlands Ambulance Service