Rising assaults against ambulance drivers

The rising number of assaults against frontline staff has seen the Ambulance service re-commit to a zero tolerance approach to abuse.

The South West Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) reports that there were 104 reports of physical abuse against frontline staff in the last 12 months.

73 of the reported assaults were referred to the police with 22 incidents leading to the abusive patients to be arrested. There are a number of more serious cases awaiting a court date as a result of these reports.

Anne Payne, Health, Safety and Security Manager with SWASFT, said: “All reports of violence and aggression towards crews are taken seriously.

“Where there is sufficient evidence the Trust place a warning marker on the patient’s address and send a letter to the patient regarding their behaviour and the consequences should their behaviour continue.”
In cases that have resulted in a successful prosecution the sanctions have ranged from a suspended sentence, community service orders, restorative orders and fines.

Since February 1st 2013 187 letters have been sent out to patients who have been verbally abusive or who have physically assaulted crews. Only two patients have reoffended and the warning marker placed on their property has been upgraded to include “Police Attendance Advised.”

Ken Wenman, Chief Executive of SWASFT, added: “The Trust takes incidents of assaults on staff extremely seriously and any abuse, verbal or physical, will not be tolerated.

“Every member of Trust staff plays a vital role in serving the community by helping to deliver the right care in the right place at the right time and staff should be able to fulfill their life-saving role without fear of abuse or assault.”

Nationwide there were 2,705 assaults on ambulance staff in the two years to April 2009 in the 11 NHS Ambulance trusts in England, 117 physical assaults in Scotland last year and 192 in Wales, according to the GMB’s report.

The figures taken fromt he individual trusts did not take into account the verbal assaults that staff are often subjected to.

Justin Bowden, national officer for the GMB union, said: “Every single day at least three ambulance workers are assaulted whilst doing their jobs. That is as shocking as it is unacceptable.

“Being attacked at work is not an occupational hazard for ambulance workers and the only way to confront this issue is with zero tolerance.

“Ambulance workers deserve full protection from their employers and the law.”