Union leaders have accused health secretary Steve Barclay of “complete and utter fabrication” amid ambulance staff strikes in England and Wales.
Mr Barclay accused trade unions of making a “conscious decision” to “inflict harm” on patients as thousands strike over disputes about pay, staffing and working conditions.
Rachel Harrison, national secretary at GMB union, said: “Ambulance workers are seething at such a crude, insulting attempt to divert attention from the government’s continued chaos in the NHS.”
Christina McAnea, general secretary of Unison, said unions have been negotating with the government for weeks to put contingency plans in place and to “suggest anything else is just disgraceful”.
“If anyone is responsible for things that happen it is that government in Westminster who have steadfastly refused to talk to us about anything related to pay,” she added.
