Zarah ChoudharyThe Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) has revealed that UK ambulance services are on course for the highest rate of reported incidents of violence, aggression and abuse ever recorded in the sector.
By the end of September 2024, the public ambulance sector had already reached 61% of the previous year’s total of 19,633 incidents.
At this pace, the AACE predicted that the sector would exceed 20,000 reported incidents for the first time across the 14 UK ambulance services, including those in the devolved nations.
Based on the current rate of increase, the AACE predicted more than 5,000 incidents would be reported during December, January, and February.
December alone was expected to account for more than 2,000 incidents, a peak month for violence due to the heightened alcohol consumption during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Over the past four years, there was a significant rise in the number of reported assaults on ambulance staff.
In 2021/22, the total number of incidents was 15,430, and in 2022/23 it increased by 2.7% to 15,857; the biggest rise came in 2023/24, with incidents increasing by 23.8% to 19,633.
The data for the first half of 2024/25 indicated that recorded incidents already reached 11,817, suggesting a trajectory that would push the total well past 20,000, marking a further increase of at least 2%, if not more.
Alcohol remained the leading factor in assaults on ambulance staff, followed by drug use and individuals in mental health crises, while ssaults involving race and sexuality have also become more prominent.
This data means that every day, at least 55 ambulance staff will be abused or attacked, with reported incidents including kicking, punching, slapping, head-butting, spitting, verbal abuse and sexual assault, and ranging from common assault to significant serious attacks involving a multitude of weapons.
On top of this, the AACE noted that many assaults go unreported, so the true figure is actually higher.
As a result of the escalation in violence and abusive incidents, NHS ambulance services are undertaking several initiatives alongside the #WorkWithoutFear campaign, to encourage behavioural change among those who might carry out these assaults, while providing employees with as much support as possible.
One of the key steps in tackling this issue has been the establishment of dedicated violence prevention teams within each NHS ambulance service.
These teams focus on identifying and addressing the root causes of violence and aggression in the workplace, aiming to create safer environments for staff and reduce incidents over time.
In addition, NHS ambulance services are piloting and evaluating body-worn video cameras across all ambulance services as a tool to deter violence, provide evidence in case of assaults, and enhance accountability in challenging situations.
To improve the consistency of data reporting, a centrally coordinated violence dataset has been established, enabling each ambulance service to report the type and frequency of assaults in a more uniform way.
Further efforts include a successful ‘restrictive interventions’ training programme, which teaches ambulance staff safer methods to protect themselves and patients during potentially volatile situations.
This training aims to empower staff with the skills needed to manage conflicts more effectively and reduce the likelihood of violent incidents.
Finally, to support employees who have been subjected to violence and aggression, NHS ambulance services provide counselling and other forms of talking therapy.
Jason Killens, AACE chair and chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust, said: “It is with huge regret that we see the level of violence, aggression and abuse across all UK ambulance services increasing and that frontline clinical employees as well as call handlers are affected.
“This unacceptable behaviour has a major long-term impact on the health and wellbeing of ambulance people who are simply trying to do their jobs and help save lives.
“This is why we are making a plea to the public to ensure that our staff are treated with the respect they deserve, especially during the busy festive period.
“We are also asking the judiciary to use their full powers under the Assaults on Emergency Workers Offences Act 2018 legislation to ensure appropriate sentences are handed out consistently to those found guilty of committing these crimes against our workforce.”
Anna Parry, managing director of AACE said: “These new figures highlight the upsetting fact that ambulance employees face the very real possibility of being subject to violence or abuse each time they start a shift.
“This can have a significant and lasting impact on wellbeing and sometimes even lead to people leaving the ambulance service.
“Our ongoing #WorkWithoutFear campaign is shining a light on this alarming issue and raising awareness of the negative impact of this behaviour on our people, while a significant amount of work is ongoing within ambulance services to help better protect our workforce.”
