Three quarters of paramedics threatened at work

A new survey from the College of Paramedics has found that nearly three-quarters of paramedics have feared for their own safety or felt threatened at work.

As many as 70 per cent of paramedics who took part in the survey said they had feared for their own safety or felt threatened while carrying out their duties. The results come one month after new NHS England figures revealed that paramedics have suffered a 32 per cent rise in assaults over the past five years, with 3,569 incidents taking place in 2020-21 alone.

Of the 2,345 paramedics across the UK who responded to the survey, 49 per cent said they had suffered physical abuse, while 80 per cent said they had been verbally abused during the course of their work.

 The College of Paramedics has warned that the abuse paramedics are experiencing is having a direct impact on their health and wellbeing. Most paramedics surveyed (89 per cent) said their jobs were taking a toll on their mental health and 69 per cent said this had intensified since the start of the covid pandemic.

Tracy Nicholls, chief executive of the College of Paramedics, said: "We have long been aware of the physical and verbal abuse that paramedics suffer and the toll it takes on their health and well-being – but this is the first time that a large-scale survey of this kind has revealed the extent of the problem.

"It's absolutely outrageous to think that so many paramedics have been abused whilst carrying out their duties, going above and beyond to help people when they are at their most vulnerable, and often in the most challenging of circumstances. Worryingly, the abuse appears to have increased during the pandemic when paramedics are already exposing themselves to greater personal risk.

"Enough is enough! It is time for us all to take a stand and find new ways of working together to prevent abuse from happening, as well as demanding zero-tolerance when it does occur.

"We welcome the steps that the government has taken to mitigate some of the risks by announcing that funding will be made available for body worn cameras and by introducing harsher custodial sentences for perpetrators of violence against paramedics – but more needs to be done. After years of lobbying, the legislation is now in place to ensure that the worst offenders are severely and appropriately dealt with. The problem is that the law is not being used to full effect and sentences are still far too lenient. We are calling today on the courts to step up and impose the harshest penalties available to them."