Imagine going to work where it is your job to help some of the most vulnerable in society – and while doing so, threats are made against your life. That is the reality for hundreds of emergency workers across Wales.
According to new data, more than 3,000 assaults were commited in the 12 months up to June 2024, an increase of 9% on the year before. 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.
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 woman 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. For the latest health and Covid news, sign up to our newsletter here
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“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.”
A woman 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 for the incident in Sketty.
The Welsh Ambulance Service is urging people to treat ambulance workers with respect as Christmas approaches. 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.”
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. Pledge your support to the campaign on social media using the hashtag #WithUsNotAgainstUs or #GydaNiNidYnEinHerbyn.