Paramedics kicked, punched, headbutted and spat at amid surge in violence

Over the last financial year between April 2024 and March 2025, the highest rate of reported incidents of violence, aggression and abuse – 22,536 – was recorded against ambulance service staff, an increase of almost 15% on the previous year.

The incidents reported included kicking, punching, slapping, head-butting, spitting, verbal abuse and sexual assault, and ranged from common assault to significant serious attacks involving a multitude of weapons.

Within the South Central region, there were an average of just over 95 incidents recorded every month, meaning that at least three members of staff are being abused or attacked every day.

South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) is now supporting calls made by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) for further national policy interventions to help combat the growing number of violent assaults against ambulance workers in the UK.

Commenting on the latest figures, Kirsten Willis-Drewett, assistant director or operations at SCAS, said: “Unfortunately we know that staff out on the road and in our control room face unacceptable physical and verbal abuse every day, and we wholeheartedly support AACE’s calls for more action to address this rising problem.

“We have worked with our local police forces to secure convictions against people who have attacked our staff and current legislation can see such perpetrators jailed for up to two years.

“As well as providing our staff with body worn cameras, and additional training to keep themselves safe when dealing with challenging situations or behaviours, we offer our staff a range of support should they be the victims of verbal or physical abuse. But with the numbers of such attacks now at record levels, more action at a national level is needed.”

The data from AACE – which represents the UK public ambulance sector – reveals that the summer months were when the most incidents of violence and aggression were reported, with summer 2024 recording the highest number of incidents on record, with 6,093 reported. Alcohol is the most prominent factor in assaults against ambulance staff, followed by drugs and people in a mental health crisis. Race and sexuality have also increased as exacerbating factors in these assaults.

Jason Killens, AACE chair and chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service University NHS Trust, said: “This situation is now so serious that we are seeking to engage with UK health ministers at the highest level to explore new interventions that could help deter potential perpetrators of these attacks.

“We would also underline again that it is vital that the judiciary uses all available legislation to ensure appropriate sentences are handed out consistently to those found guilty of committing these horrific crimes against our workforce.”

As a result of the escalation in violence and abusive incidents, SCAS – along with all NHS ambulance services – has prioritised the safety of its people and is undertaking several initiatives, alongside supporting the AACE #WorkWithoutFear campaign to try and effect behavioural change among those who might carry out assaults or become abusive.

This includes dedicated violence prevention teams, the introduction of body worn video cameras, establishment of centrally coordinated violence dataset for reporting and analysis and a successful ‘restrictive interventions’ training programme for staff to protect themselves and their patients.

There is also counselling and other forms of talking therapy and support for staff who have been subject to violence and aggression.

Find out more about the AACE anti-violence campaign at www.aace.org.uk/vaa