'It was the first and only time I've pressed the panic strip' – Christmas plea by emergency workers after rise in assaults
11.12.24
ASSAULTS on Welsh emergency workers have increased, new data has revealed.
More than 3,000 assaults were committed in the 12 months to June 2024, representing a year-on-year increase of nine per cent.
They included kicking, slapping, spitting, biting, head-butting and verbal abuse, and ranged from common assault to serious premediated attacks involving grievous bodily harm.
Nine incidents involved a weapon.
With Christmas approaching, emergency workers are asking the public to treat them with respect.
Jason Killens, Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “Ambulance crews are there to help people, but they can’t fight for someone’s life if they’re fighting for their own.
“In our control room, meanwhile, the verbal abuse of call handlers could potentially be delaying help for the patient.
“The run-up to Christmas means more people are out enjoying the revelry, and with alcohol consumption comes an increase in assaults, both physical and verbal.
“Our ask is simple – emergency workers want to help you, so please treat them with respect and work with us, not against us.”
At a glance
- The monthly average assaults increased from 236 in July 2022 – June 2023 to 256 in the July 2023 – June 2024.
- Of the 3,075 assaults between July 2023 – June 2024, 71 per cent of victims were police, 18 per cent medical staff and two per cent fire and rescue workers.
- In the first six months of 2024, Merthyr Tydfil had the highest rate of assaults at 1.43 per 1,000 population, followed by Wrexham (1.42), Blaenau Gwent (1.33), Denbighshire (1.22), Newport (1.22), Torfaen (1.17), Cardiff (1.15) and Caerphilly (1.01).
- In the same period, 1,282 assaults had a known outcome, half of which were ‘positive’, e.g. perpetrator was charged, cautioned, handed a community order.
- Most assaults occur on a Saturday night and account for 10 per cent of incidents in the first six months of 2024.
- Offenders aged 26-35 continue to account for the highest proportion of offending (34 per cent).
- 335 (24 per cent) incidents were known to be linked to alcohol intoxication.
Emergency ambulance practitioners Ian Jones and Gareth Casey were assaulted by a patient in Burry Port in June, before she urinated in the back of their ambulance.
The Sketty-based colleagues were treating a female who was reported to have fallen in the street and hit her head, before she became verbally and physically abusive.
Ian said: “She’d already struck out at Gareth during our initial assessment, but got so aggressive on the way to hospital that we had to stop the ambulance and physically restrain her, for her safety and ours.
“It was the first and only time I’ve pressed the ‘panic strip’ in the ambulance so that everything could be recorded on CCTV.
“We called the police, who arrived within minutes, but in the meantime, she threatened to urinate in the back of the ambulance.
“Unfortunately, she made good on that threat.”
Ian, a former RAF firefighter, added: “I’m ex-military and have experience of working with adults with challenging behaviour, but it’s still disappointing every time we find ourselves in these situations.
“Were we mortally wounded? No, but the point is we were there to help someone in their hour of need, and that’s how we were repaid – assault is assault is assault.
“We were more frustrated by the fact the ambulance had to be taken out of service for a deep clean, which meant it wasn’t available for other patients whose condition could have been life or death.”
Gareth, who used to work in security prior to joining the ambulance service, said he has been assaulted more times in this job than in his previous.
“The patient seemed OK with us initially, but it was like the flick of a switch,” said Gareth.
“The punches didn’t hurt – it was her threats to kill which shocked me more.
“Unfortunately, this wasn’t my first assault at work.
“Once, I was bitten and had to have blood tests for six months afterwards to make sure I hadn’t picked up HIV or Hepatitis.
“That took its toll mentally, not to mention the strain it put on my relationship.
“Often I come home and my nine-year-old boy will ask why I’m covered in bruises.
“As emergency workers, we should be able to go to work and come home unscathed.
“I’ve come to expect it now, but it doesn’t mean it’s right.”
Last month, Michelle Richards, of Railway Terrace, Llanelli, was sentenced to three months in prison suspended for 18 months having previously pleaded guilty to two counts of assault by beating of an emergency worker and to criminal damage.
The With Us, Not Against Us campaign was launched in May 2021 by the Joint Emergency Service Group in Wales to try and reduce the number of assaults on emergency workers.
Mark Hobrough, Temporary Chief Constable at Gwent Police, said: “Nobody should be subjected to any kind of assault, and it is concerning that some people believe this is an appropriate way to act towards another person.
“Our officers, along with our emergency service colleagues, will often deal with people during difficult times in their lives, but that does not justify the abusive, threatening and violent behaviour they frequently experience.
“We will support any officer or emergency service worker who has experienced abuse or violence while also taking firm action against those responsible.”
Judith Paget, Welsh Government’s Director General for Health and Social Services and the NHS Wales Chief Executive, added: “The impact of any form of assault, verbal or physical, is incredibly harmful to our NHS emergency workers who work tirelessly to care and treat those in greatest need.
“The Welsh Government is committed to working in partnership with NHS Wales, the police and the CPS via the NHS Wales Anti-Violence Collaborative to ensure that we are doing everything to prevent incidents occurring, and to support any staff who do experience threats and violence.”
Pledge your support to the campaign on social media using the hashtag #WithUsNotAgainstUs or #GydaNiNidYnEinHerbyn.