'Shocking' amount of abuse against ambulance staff

The types of abuse reported include kicking, punching, spitting and sexual assault

South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) has said at least three members of its staff are being abused or attacked every day.

The number of violent incidents against UK ambulance staff reached an all-time high in the last 12 months, with 22,536 cases recorded.

It is a rise of 15% on the previous year, with 1,147 incidents against employees of SCAS, which covers Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire.

Assistant director of operations at the ambulance service Kirsten Willis-Drewett described the numbers as "shocking".

"We have worked with our local police forces to secure convictions against people who have attacked our staff and current legislation can see such perpetrators jailed for up to two years," she said.

Within the South Central region, there was an average of just over 95 incidents recorded every month during the last financial year.

'Increased violence'

The types of abuse reported include kicking, punching, head-butting, spitting and sexual assault, and ranged from common assault to significant serious attacks involving weapons.

SCAS is backing calls made by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) for the government to do more to help combat the growing number of violent assaults against ambulance workers in the UK.

Ms Willis-Drewett said: "With the numbers of such attacks now at record levels, more action at a national level is needed".

AACE said alcohol is the most prominent factor in assaults against ambulance staff, followed by drugs and people in mental health crisis.

The latest figures have prompted Jason Killens, chair of the association, to write to ministers to explore what else could be done.

"These figures are truly shocking and reflect a pattern of increased violence, aggression and abuse directed at hard-working ambulance people who are there to help people in their times of greatest need," he said.