Ambulance crews under increasing attack from people using Covid as a weapon
Frontline workers have been spat and coughed at by patients
Updated
A South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust ambulance (Image: A South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust)
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South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) has said this week that it is concerned about a continued rise in assaults against its people.
Staff experienced 50 incidents of violence and aggression from patients and other members of the public between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, including 16 physical assaults.
That represents an 85% increase in overall incidents and double the number of assaults during the nine-day period, compared to the previous year.
On Christmas Day a crew responded to a patient holding a kitchen knife. Then his car collided with their ambulance as he tried to leave the scene. Another crew responding to an incident were threatened with a baseball bat by a motorist. A female paramedic was also assaulted while attending an incident.
Assaults on ambulance crews over Christmas and New Year doubled from previous year Assaults against ambulance staff doubled between Christmas and New Year compared with the previous year. South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said the concerned about a continued rise in assaults against its staff. Between Christmas and New Year, SWASFT staff reported 50 incidents of violence and aggression from patients and other members of the public. Of these incidents, 16 were physical assaults on staff. This represents a stark 85 per cent rise in incidents and double the number of assaults from 2019. On Christmas day a crew responded to a patient holding a kitchen knife whose car collided with the ambulance as he tried to leave the scene.