AMBULANCE service officials tonight released a statement reassuring residents that they have full contingency plans in place to cope with tomorrow's strike action.

Members of Unite working for the Yorkshire Ambulance Service are holding a 24-hour strike from 6am tomorrow over proposals to introduce emergency care assistants to ambulances to work alongside more highly-trained paramedics.

Tonight's statement said the strike is expected to involve less than ten per cent of the total staff employed by the trust.

Chief executive David Whiting said: "Our contingency plans are focused on providing a safe, responsive and high-quality emergency service to patients and this will always remain our top priority."

He added: "We recognise the legal right for those of our staff who are members of the union to participate in industrial action, but our focus is to balance that right with the need to first safeguard patient care and safety.

"However, I do not believe that industrial action in this form is in the best interests of patients, and it is deeply concerning for a trade union representing ambulance service workers to strike without making any concessions to patient safety."

The trust has said the strike will put a strain on its emergency service and has asked people to only dial 999 for an ambulance when it is obvious that someone has a life-threatening or serious illness or injury.

Unite officials have said the union has given the trust every opportunity to seek a resolution without the dispute reverting to industrial action.

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