West Midlands paramedics back #WorkWithoutFear campaign

Paramedics in the West Midlands are joining others across the country in calling for an end to abuse while on the job.

The #WorkWithoutFear campaign has launched across the country today (28th February) and aims to promote respect for ambulance staff while highlighting the abuse they face while on shift.

Every day last year, 32 ambulance staff were abused or attacked nationally. In the West Midlands alone, there has been a staggering 88% rise in physical and verbal abuse towards staff in the last five years. (1671 incidents in 2021 compared to 887 in 2016).

Abuse included staff being stabbed, punched, kicked, head-butted, spat at as well as verbal abuse including racial and homophobic outbursts. The attacks ranged from common assault to serious attacks involving weapons. Alcohol is the most prominent factor in assaults against ambulance staff, followed by drugs and people in mental health crisis. Attacks based around race and sexuality have also increased.

The #WorkWithoutFear campaign, supported by NHS England, aims to encourage the minority of people who might commit these offences to have respect for the people who respond to help them, their friends and their families when they need it most.

The campaign is set to feature ambulance staff from all across the country who have been the victims of assaults, including four from West Midlands Ambulance Service. Birmingham Paramedic Sarah Haddada and Brierley Hill-based Call Assessor Bradley Bayton-Harvey are the first two staff featuring in the campaign. They share their experience of the racial verbal abuse and threatening comments they’ve endured whilst trying to help others.

Willenhall Paramedics Deena Evans and Michael Hipgrave will also feature after they were both stabbed while responding to a welfare check. Their attacker was jailed last year for nine years after it happened in Wolverhampton in 2020.

West Midlands Ambulance Service Chief Executive, Anthony Marsh, said: “My staff come to work to care for others in their time of need, yet all too often they are greeted by violence and abuse. Assaults on ambulance staff, whether it be physical or verbal, are not okay and I fully support this campaign. I hope that it opens people’s eyes to the impact that abuse has on staff as well as reinforcing the message that abusive behaviour of any form is totally unacceptable.

“My staff deserve to be treated with respect and shouldn’t face a fear of attack whilst helping others. I have nothing but admiration for the brave staff taking part in the campaign in order to raise awareness of the dangers they and other emergency service workers face on a daily basis.

“I urge the Judiciary to use the Assaults on Emergency Workers Offences Act 2018 legislation to give appropriate sentences to those found guilty of committing this abhorrent abuse towards ambulance staff.”

The public can pledge their support for this campaign by using #WorkWithoutFear on social media and by visiting www.aace.org.uk/vaa to view films about some of those affected.