This Monday, January 23, British paramedics are once again on strike to denounce the crisis experienced by the NHS, the United Kingdom's health system.

Steve Johnson, who has been traveling London in his ambulance for 27 years, is among the strikers, albeit reluctantly.

"I did not choose this job to strike but to help people, he recalls. But the lack of means and the low salary increases mean that there are tens of thousands of unfilled jobs. in the NHS. It's fantastic how people are supporting us at the moment. It's heart-warming, it's even moving."

>> To read: "United Kingdom: the strike of paramedics and nurses, a symptom of a health system on its knees"

The delays to reach the paramedics are getting longer all the time, and this winter, the wait has never been so long in front of saturated hospitals.

“The Royal College of Medicine says that there are 500 deaths a week because of too long delays, continues Steve Johnson. We have terrible stories with patients who wait on hospital beds for ten or even twelve hours. It's not acceptable."

slingshot wind

Abby joined the team at the height of the Covid-19 crisis.

This young recruit has seen the health system deteriorate since his arrival.

"You know, it's hard to think that we can wait for hours and hours and that your patient's condition can get worse and that we can't do anything to help him," explains the young woman.

The teams, constantly called upon, are asking for more resources to continue saving lives.

A slingshot wind of rare magnitude is blowing over the United Kingdom.

Long considered the jewel of the country, the NHS is in crisis and on the brink of collapse.

Everyone agrees on the need to reform this free healthcare system.

But how ?

Should we privatize certain services or, on the contrary, invest massively?

The government is under pressure.

According to a recent poll, 85% of Britons consider that he mismanages the NHS.

The summary of the

France 24 week invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you!

Download the France 24 app