AMBULANCE bosses are warning that Monday's national strike action could have a "much bigger affect" on the county's service than initially expected.

West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) is expecting a large number of staff to walk-out between 7.00am-11.00am as part of a national dispute with the Government over pay.

Today, WMAS confirmed concerns that the level of disruption will be "considerably bigger" than that experienced over last month's strike.

Now, waits of up to four hours for an ambulance in less serious cases are expected over the strike's duration.

In a statement, WMAS said that in in some cases deemed not genuinely life-threatening, the "difficult decision" will have to be made not to send an ambulance at all.

Local unions have however, already agreed measures to preserve a service to the patients most in need, on the proviso that 999 calls during the strike that don't relate to "life-threatening" put lives at risk.

Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer Mark Gough confirmed the likelihood of four hour waits for non-urgent calls during the strike.

Some types of 999 calls may not receive a response at all, he said.

 Unison, Unite and GMB members have voted to take industrial action as a result of the government’s decision to not apply a 1% pay award in full to all NHS staff in accordance with the national public sector pay review body’s recommendations.

WMAS staff who are members of any of those three unions have the right to take part in industrial action, including strike action.

WYE Valley NHS Trust is also standby for the strike and has contingency plans in place.

The Trust will keep its website posted with details of which services are affected.

NHS staff have had pay frozen or below inflation rises since the coalition came to power.

The government says it cannot afford a 1 per cent rise as well as the 3 per cent rise automatically received by many staff.