89% increase in assaults on ambulance staff

“Given our staff are there to help people in their hour of need, it is appalling that there has been an 89% increase in physical and verbal assaults on them in the last five years.” This from West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, at the launch of the national #WorkWithoutFear campaign by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE).

The campaign aims to promote respect for ambulance staff to enable them to treat patients safely and without fear of being attacked.

In the West Midlands last year (2023-24), two staff were physically assaulted and five were verbally abused every single day.

It wasn’t just staff on ambulances who were on the receiving end of this abuse. Call Assessors who take the 999 calls were threatened with death and the rape of their children!

Alcohol is the most prominent factor in assaults against ambulance staff, followed by drugs and people in mental health crisis. Race and sexuality have also increased as exacerbating factors in these assaults.

Mr Marsh continued: “For many staff, this sort of abuse can have a profound impact on their lives with some staff never recovering and actually leaving the service altogether. While it is a minority of people who commit these offences, we need the public to support us to make such abuse something that is unacceptable.

“Equally, we need the support of the courts to make it absolutely clear that such abuse will not be accepted and severe punishments will be handed down to those who attack our staff.”

Paramedic Steven Raven was one of those who was assaulted; having his jaw broken by a man he had gone to help.

The former teacher said: “It’s two years ago that I was attacked but I am still medicated for anxiety and attend counselling. At the time I thought I was going to die. After the court case, I was split on how I felt about his sentence; his life has changed completely as well – he has a criminal record and has served time in jail.

“Going to work since the attack is a tough thing to do. But I still want to do my job and enjoy what I do. Being a paramedic, to be there in someone’s moment of crisis, is a privilege.”

Anna Parry, Managing Director of AACE added: “Unfortunately, it is a sad fact that ambulance workers face the very real possibility of violence, aggression and abuse each time they start a shift. Our ongoing #WorkWithoutFear campaign is shining a light on this alarming issue and raising awareness of the hugely negative impact this behaviour has on ambulance staff.”

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