Calls for health staff to be treated with respect

Associate chief ambulance officer Gordon Hunt emphasised the importance of a safe working environment

Jersey ambulance service has shared a video urging islanders to treat medical workers with respect.

It is part of a social media campaign launched in the wake of a report which showed a rise in the number of physical and racially motivated attacks on healthcare professionals.

In the video, States of Jersey Ambulance Service staff ask people to be respectful and to "let us work without fear" in the community.

"Any form of aggression against ambulance staff is unacceptable," said the service's associate chief ambulance officer Gordon Hunt.

"Our ability to work safely and efficiently directly impacts the quality of care we can provide," he said.

Mr Hunt said crews needed a safe environment in which to provide life-saving care.

In the social media post, the States of Jersey Ambulance Service said: "Following the release of new statistics that show our Health and Care Jersey colleagues have reported a rise in physical and racially motivated attacks, we wish to offer our support.

"This is unfortunately an issue we are all too familiar with."

The post on Facebook is part of the service's Work Without Fear campaign, which was launched in November.

At the time of the campaign launch in November, ambulance staff had reported 26 incidents of violence in 2024

At the time of the launch, the government said ambulance staff had reported 26 incidents of violence, aggression or intimidation, which is more than double the 14 incidents recorded in 2023, and nearly four times the number from 2022.

The service said such incidents affected both the physical and mental health of staff, which in turn impacted their work in providing quick and effective care to the community.

Health and Care Jersey (HCJ) previously told the BBC there had been 29 racially motivated assaults on healthcare staff reported in 2024, an increase from the 14 reported in 2022 and 15 in 2023.

When the campaign was launched, Minister for Justice and Home Affairs Mary Le Hegarat said: "Aggression towards our emergency responders - and their right to work without fear of being attacked - needs to be highlighted.

"We must respect and support those who are saving lives."