Two in three ambulance staff fear abuse and violence over Christmas
West Midlands paramedic speaks out about festive pressures on frontline crews
Two in three ambulance staff fear abuse and violence while doing their job over the Christmas period according to new figures from the GMB union.
The survey of more than eleven hundred ambulance workers across the UK found that over forty percent fear being physically attacked while more than half worry about verbal abuse. Three in four said their mental health has been negatively affected over the past year.
Simon Day is a paramedic clinical team mentor across our region with West Midlands Ambulance Service and has worked here seventeen years. He said the findings reflect what many crews are already experiencing.
"The reality is over the last several years the incidents of abuse aggression and violence that frontline staff experience has definitely increased" Simon said. "You hear more anecdotal stories in crew rooms particularly around verbal abuse and difficult interactions."
Simon joined the ambulance service in 2009 after a previous career in youth and community work. He said he was drawn to the role after meeting his wife who worked for the service and realising it matched his desire to help people.
He explained that while alcohol has long played a role in abusive incidents new pressures have made the situation worse.
"Since delays and difficulties in getting ambulances to patients people understandably become more frustrated especially when a loved one is in severe pain" he said. "Often it is ambulance workers who bear the brunt of that frustration."
Simon said even when abuse does not happen the fear of it has become part of everyday working life.
"It has become a psychological stressor that is very apparent in the day to day lives of ambulance workers" he said. "The fear of encountering it factors into how people experience their work."
He added that the festive period brings extra challenges as demand increases and emotions run high.
"When call numbers rise the risks rise too" Simon said. "You are meeting people at what is often the worst moment of their lives. Nerves are raw stresses are real and sometimes that comes out in how people treat ambulance workers."
In comments released through the Press Association Simon warned that the final Friday before Christmas is often one of the most demanding nights of the year.
"People will be out celebrating drinking and dancing but unfortunately it is a night when normally sensible people do very silly things" he said. "Ultimately it will be left to us to pick up the pieces."
He said morale among crews is already low due to high workloads and staffing pressures and urged people to think about the impact of their actions.
"Our message is have fun celebrate but please think of us ambulance workers before you do anything stupid" Simon said.