Paramedics demand more to protect workers from being assaulted
Around 170 reported were sexual assaults on workers and paramedics
Ambulance workers in and around Staffordshire suffered thousands of violent attacks in the line of duty over the last five years, a GMB investigation has revealed.
Attacks on workers from West Midlands Ambulance Services took place 2,677 times from the years 2017/18 to 21/22.
Almost 170 of these were sexual assaults.
Paramedic Simon Day said:
"We had a member of staff cornered once on a stairway and touched inappropriately.
"A crew member had to wrestle that particular individual off the female paramedic.
"We need to send a message that this kind of behaviour is just unacceptable, and in the future we're going to have to deal with more and more of these situations where ambulance staff are being put in danger with the police not present."
GMB’s ambulance members successfully changed the law in 2018 when the Assaults Against Emergency Workers (Offences) Act made assaults on ambulance workers an aggravating factor for sentencing.
Rachel Harrison, GMB National Secretary, said:
“Ambulance workers across the Midlands go to work every day to save lives.
“Despite this, thousands of them are bitten, attacked, spat at and even sexually assaulted.
"No one should have to put up with that, least of all those who are there to protect us.
“GMB members helped change the law but more needs to be done.
“We demand full enforcement of the Protect the Protectors legislation, investment in better systems to flag offenders, and much better support for the victims of violence.”
Simon added: "We need an absolutely zero tolerance approach to this legislation and we need that to send a message."
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