Londonwide: A Whipps Cross paramedic has spoken of the violence and abuse he can suffer on a daily basis. His comments were made in the wake of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stephens' support to reducing violence towards ambulance crews working in the capital.

Between January and March this year there were 130 reported cases of physical violence towards London Ambulance Service staff and almost 400 reports of verbal abuse.

Speaking to the Guardian, Whipps Cross paramedic team leader Tony Wilkinson told of a recent incident involving himself.

He said: "I was recently called out to a job in the Leytonstone area. A lady had been suffering with a severe headache and I was looking for the number of the address we were given.

"A couple ran up to me and told me where the lady was. When I arrived I found she was at a shop and I was met with a barrage of abuse from her family outside.

"They were shouting and swearing at me, threatening me with violence, assumably because they were panicking.

"The threats continued and I refused to attend to the lady, fearing attack. When I got back into the ambulance I was spat at.

"People have to realise that we are here to help the public, not to pick fights with them."

The LAS first raised the issue of violence against crews in December 2000 and has since introduced a number of initiatives to address the problem.

These have included the appointment of a staff safety officer and the introduction of personal safety training to help staff break away from violent situations and seek help.

It has recently reinforced the message that there is 'No Excuse' for violence towards its staff with hard-hitting posters on the London Underground showing the bruised face of a female ambulance technician who was assaulted while responding to an emergency call.

Sir John Stephens said: "Our officers work with ambulance crews every day and therefore know what a vital job they do. It is unacceptable that they should face violence when trying to save lives and we will do all we can to support the LAS in bringing the offenders before the courts."

July 15, 2002 09:30