Responding to the announcement of 10 more strikes over pay by Unite ambulance staff, NHS Providers interim deputy chief executive and director of policy and strategy Miriam Deakin said:

"Ten more days of strikes by Unite ambulance staff will make what is already an incredibly difficult situation for NHS patients and staff even harder.

"As one of these dates, 6 February, coincides with strikes by nurses and GMB ambulance workers next month, trust leaders are facing what for many may be the most challenging day of their careers.

"Nobody wants these strikes to happen but it's clear that staff feel they have been driven to this. We understand that.

"Trust leaders will do all they can to mitigate the impact of these strikes but escalating industrial action will only cause further disruption and impact patient care at a time when trust leaders and their staff want to focus on driving down waiting times.

"It's absolutely imperative that the government sit down with the unions immediately to resolve this by talking about pay for this financial year."