NHS strikes: thousands of ambulance workers and paramedics take action

Some patients have been left waiting for hours, or driving themselves to hospital, as tens of thousands of ambulance workers and paramedics went on strike across most of England and Wales.

Scottish health workers have also threatened a wave of strike action next year.

Ministers and NHS chiefs urged people to ‘use their common sense’ and avoid any risky behaviour, while unions angrily denied making a conscious choice to harm patients by their actions.