"Paramedic Lauren Black, a Clinical Team Manager at Westminster Ambulance Station, often responds to calls involving intoxicated people in central London during the festive month. She said: We are really busy at this time of year caring for people who genuinely need our help, so there is a unique cruelty in being met with drunken abuse at Christmas. While others are out enjoying festive celebrations, our crews are working away from their own families and friends, showing compassion in difficult moments."
"Chief Paramedic Pauline Cranmer said they want to people to enjoy themselves this weekend but urged the public to look after themselves and that there was no excuse for abuse. She added: We will work with police to bring prosecutions and push for strong penalties for anyone who assaults or abuses our staff. Drink and drugs contribute to around 40 per cent of violent incidents against crews and call handlers."
Mad Friday and the festive season trigger a spike in alcohol- and drug-related ambulance callouts, with around 4,000 such calls in London last December (about 130 per day). Research from the GMB Union found two out of three ambulance workers worry about being attacked over the festive season. Crews report abuse and assaults while treating intoxicated patients, with drink and drugs contributing to around 40% of violent incidents against staff and call handlers. The LAS launched the All we want for Christmas is RESPECT campaign and plans to work with police to seek prosecutions and stronger penalties for attackers.
Read at www.standard.co.uk
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]