'It is appalling...some never recover' – The shocking rise in assaults on West Midlands Ambulance Service staff revealed
Shocking statistics have revealed the level of abuse facing staff at West Midlands Ambulance Service on a daily basis while they try to save lives across the region.
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New data has shown an 89 per cent increase in physical and verbal assaults on them in the last five years, prompting the ambulance service to promote a new campaign.
The campaign - #WorkWithoutFear - has been put forward by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) and aims to promote respect for ambulance staff to enable them to treat patients safely and without fear of being attacked.
New statistics showed in the West Midlands last year (2023-24), two staff were physically assaulted and five were verbally abused every single day.
Paramedic Steven Raven was one of those who was assaulted; having his jaw broken by a man he had gone to help.
Henry Grain, 20, from Leominster, Herefordshire was jailed for two years after admitting grievous bodily harm and criminal damage.
The former teacher said: “It’s two years ago that I was attacked but I am still medicated for anxiety and attend counselling. At the time I thought I was going to die. After the court case, I was split on how I felt about his sentence; his life has changed completely as well – he has a criminal record and has served time in jail.
