Unite union has today, Sunday, February 5, announced that planned NHS ambulance strikes have been called off.

It comes after the union shared that they would be entering talks with the Government to discuss pay.

The strikes had been planned for Monday, March 6 and Wednesday, March 8, but will no longer go ahead.

Now Unite head of operations Gail Cartmail has said: "Following further assurances from the government over the weekend Unite has in good faith agreed to pause the strike action.

“If the meeting doesn't meet these assurances strike action will resume.”

Unite said the assurances relate to a confirmation that any deal will include new money, rather than placing further pressure on NHS budgets and an indication that discussions about “efficiencies” and “productivity savings” will not result in attacks on the conditions of NHS staff.

Unison and GMB union made the decision after the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) said money was available for potential pay rises covering this year and next.

The strike was to take place over a dispute over pay and working conditions. Some 32,000 NHS workers would have been involved in the planned Unison strikes – including 24,500 ambulance staff – while 13,000 ambulance workers were part of the GMB action.

Previous strikes took place in early February and marked the biggest walkout in NHS history with nurses also striking on the same day, along with paramedics, call handlers, drivers and technicians.