GMB Calls For Zero Tolerance
Monday 5th July 2010
GMB CALLS FOR "ZERO TOLERANCE" OF VERBAL ABUSE AND
PHYSICAL ASSAULTS ON AMBULANCE STAFF WHICH RUN AT 3 INCIDENTS PER
DAY
Case studies and the figures for prosecutions in North
West show that there is some way to go before zero tolerance is
achieved says GMB the union for ambulance staff
There were 2,705 assaults on ambulance staff in the 2 years to
April 2009 in the 11 NHS Ambulance Trusts in England. In Scotland
in 2009 there were 117 physical assaults on ambulance staff. For
Wales in the year 2009 the figure was 192 of which 82 resulted in
injury to staff. In a two year period in the North West Ambulance
Service NHS Trust there were a further reported 619 verbal
assaults. Less than half of physical assaults in North West
resulted in a prosecution (See note 4 below).
These figures are in a new analysis of the data on assaults
published by the NHS by GMB the union for ambulance staff as part
of its campaign to secure a zero tolerance approach by senior
managers in Ambulance Service NHS Trusts. The figures for the year
to April 2008 and for the year to April 2009 and the combined
figures for the two years for each of the 11 English Ambulance
Services NHS Trusts are set out in the table below. Also set out
below are the figures for Wales for year 2009. See note 1 for
sources. GMB are trying to establish the figures for Scotland and
Northern Ireland. Some case studies are also set out in Note 3.
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NHS Security Management Services Physical Assault
Statistics England
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Total assaults - 2007-08
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Total assaults - 2008-09
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2 years Combined
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East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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59
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70
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129
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East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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84
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95
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179
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Great Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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23
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44
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67
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London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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673
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433
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1106
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North East Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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43
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35
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78
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North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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234
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169
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403
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South Central Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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50
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35
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85
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South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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69
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107
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176
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South Western Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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38
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39
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77
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West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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147
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162
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309
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Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
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45
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51
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96
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Total
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1465
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1240
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2705
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Violence and aggression against staff of the Welsh
Ambulance Services NHS Trust
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2009
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Violence and abuse resulting in injury
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82
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Violence and abuse no injury recorded
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110
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Scottish Ambulance Service -
Physical Assault against staff
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2007
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72
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2008
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80
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2009
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117
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January-May 2010
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35
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Justin Bowden GMB National Officer for ambulance services said
"Every single day at least 3 ambulance workers are
assaulted whilst doing their jobs. That is as shocking as it is
unacceptable. Being attacked at work is not an occupational hazard
for ambulance workers and the only way to confront this issue is
with zero tolerance.
Ambulance workers deserve full protection from their
employers and the law. The case studies below and the figures for
prosecutions in North West show that there is some way to go before
we achieve zero tolerance. There less than half of the reported
cases led to prosecutions. In some Trusts there is an automatic
recourse to law regarding damage to property but not on attacks on
staff. Also in one authority there is a proposal to remove stab-
proof vests as a protection to staff. A change of attitude by
management is needed on this."
End
Contact Justin Bowden 07710 631351 or Ray Carrick on 07974
018412 or Dave Powell on 07710 631349 or GMB Press office; Rose
Conroy on 07974 251 823 or Steve Pryle on 07921 289880
Notes to Editors
1Sources: The data is released in November
England
2008-09
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Archive/2008-09_NHS_Violence__Against__Staff__FINAL_16.11.09.pdf
England
2007-08
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/SecurityManagement/Documents/NHSViolenceAgainstStaff.pdf
Wales
http://www.ambulance.wales.nhs.uk/assets/documents/c63f3a27-080b-4e4d-9855-d94f7c9fda35634075309367973239.pdf
2 Warning
IMPORTANT: care should be taken when comparing assault figures
as there are many factors which may influence a health body's
published figures including: a) population served, b) geographical
setting (ie rural/urban), c) level of provision of mental health,
learning disability and elderly care services, d) changes in
service provision, e) health body amalgamations and splits, f)
embedding of reporting culture.
3 Case Studies from London
A " in August 2009 a female member of staff from Whipps
Cross Complex working as a solo responder on a call was shot
at with a air rifle while attending a call on a estate in Leyton
E10. Ambulance staff have had problems on this estate in the past.
The appropriate paperwork was completed and and the estate is
now flagged up to approach with caution. There have been several
meetings with our local managers and have put forward several
suggestions in regard to meeting with there local residents
and try to form a good relationship with them and try to avoid any
further incidents, our management team finally made contact with
the local community officer but as of yet none of our proposals
have been acted upon. We feel that there has been no real
concerted effort by our management to try and stop any future
incidents from happening"
B "We at Whipps Cross station are constantly abused, mainly
verbally. I would say that this occurs at least once every shift.
Mainly it is other road users whilst we are on blue lights, but can
frequently be when we are blocking a road due to double parking
etc. This type of incident is not recorded very often as it is
institutionally accepted as 'part of the job'.
I personally was assaulted by a female who was drunk and had
mental health problems. Cutting the story short, she punched me in
the face breaking my glasses and cutting my head open. The woman
was subdued by myself until the police arrived.
The police were initially very helpful until they learned
that this woman had mental health problems and literally dropped
all charges there and then. I was left by the police who
didn't find out what type of mental health problem this woman had (
it could of been anxiety) and added that the Crown Prosecution
Service would not be interested so they would have to drop the
case.
The London Ambulance Service very begrudgingly paid for the
damage to my glasses, initially saying that I should claim the
damages off of my home contents insurance!
The London Ambulance Service stood me down for the next
shift but said that any more days off would be regarded as
sickness."
4 Some figures from North West for Verbal as well as physical
assaults
In 2008-09 in the North West Ambulance Service, 349 verbal
assaults were reported and 188 physical assaults
In 2009-2010, 270 verbal assaults were reported and 185
physical assaults (Of which 22 were reported under
RIDDOR).
At a H&S meeting last February GMB representatives asked
how many abuse cases are prosecuted. The response was that 40-50%
of claims of violence/abuse against staff are pursued through the
legal system.