All we want for Christmas is… RESPECT: London Ambulance Service reveals shocking levels of violence and abuse

More than half of ambulance crews in London have experienced physical violence in the last year.

Shocking figures released by London Ambulance Service today show that 53 per cent of frontline colleagues have been attacked while on duty, and 562 of them were assaulted three or more times in just 12 months.

The Service’s latest staff survey also found that 44 per cent had been sexually harassed by patients or members of the public.

New campaign calls for respect

As incidents continue to rise, London Ambulance Service is launching a new campaign: All we want for Christmas is… RESPECT.

It is calling on the public to show respect to those caring for them – both on the road in ambulances and over the phone.

The Service has released a new campaign video showing a series of violent or abusive incidents.

“It was like a horror film – I froze”

Paramedic Emily Jackson, 31, is seen in the video as a patient is threatening to kill her.

But she says the most traumatic assault happened one December when she was called to a pub to treat a man seriously ill after drinking and taking drugs.

She said: “It was this time of year – when people are out drinking or partying. Our patient was unconscious on the floor and I was really worried about him.

“He was struggling to breathe and I worried he was going to stop breathing and go into cardiac arrest.

“We were getting ready to do an ECG when he regained consciousness. He was friendly at first then suddenly switched.

“He looked ready to fight the whole pub and made sexually aggressive comments to me. He was throwing punches and I got hit in the face.”

The attacker left the pub but walked back in soon after.

“It was like a horror film – I just froze. He threatened to rape me and said he would dump my body in an alleyway.

“That threat frightened me more than when he was throwing punches; it chilled me.”

Attacker jailed

Emily was well supported by her team and wanted to continue working but a few days later had a breakdown.

She added: “It wasn’t the first time I’d been attacked at work, and it wasn’t the last. It takes its toll.”

Emily’s attacker was jailed for eight months for beating and threatening an emergency worker.

Meanwhile Emily is now working on a project to protect call handlers from abuse over the phone.

Violence increases at Christmas

Drugs and alcohol are a factor in around 40 per cent of violent incidents – and ambulance crews risk abuse at this time of year with so many people out and about during Christmas party season.

Chief Executive Jason Killens KAM said: “During the festive season when Londoners are celebrating, our people are working tirelessly to save lives.

“Any violence, threats or harassment is completely unacceptable. No one should face this at work and on top of the hurt and harm it causes our people, it can prevent us from caring for patients who need our help.

“All we are asking for is respect – on the phone, on the road and in the communities we serve.

“If abuse happens, we work with the police to ensure it is investigated and offenders are punished.”

Keeping colleagues safe

London Ambulance Service was the first ambulance service in the country to set up a Violence Reduction Unit to support colleagues to report crimes and work closely with police to pursue abusers.

All ambulances are fitted with CCTV and audio recording and all crews can opt to wear body worn cameras.