Ambulance officers across New Zealand are reporting a sharp rise in abuse and assaults, with incidents now occurring on a daily basis, according to Hato Hone St John.
According to a report by 1News, the organisation said the recent holiday period proved particularly difficult, with ambulance crews threatened and attacked, and in some cases requiring hospital treatment after being assaulted while on duty.
"We’ve had ambulance officers abused. We’ve had people kicked and assaulted. We’ve even had two ambulance staff who’ve had to have treatment in an emergency department, secondary to an assault from a patient they were treating," Dan Ohs from St John Ambulance told 1News.
Ohs, a frontline worker with more than 20 years of experience, said the violence was not limited to late-night emergencies or traditionally high-risk locations.
"Alcohol and drugs are often a factor. Sometimes medical problems are also a factor but, right now, there’s no consistent trend in violent or aggressive incidents towards our staff," as quoted by 1News.
More than 300 assaults on ambulance staff were recorded last year, representing a 10% increase compared with the previous year.
Mark Quin from the NZ Ambulance Association said there had been a noticeable decline in respect for emergency service workers.
"Once upon a time, particularly when I came into the service in the mid-'90s, the uniform was respected. That seems to have changed," 1News has quoted.
The issue is not unique to New Zealand, with similar concerns being raised across the Tasman. In Australia, paramedics are also facing increasing levels of violence.
"We have had paramedics spat at, kicked, punched, pushed, whipped with their own stethoscope," Ambulance Victoria's Vanessa Gorman said, as reported by 1News.
"It’s sad, it’s distressing and, for some people, it’s career-ending," paramedic Alexandra Hemsley added, 1News has quoted.
Back in New Zealand, the risks have become so severe that ambulance crews are sometimes forced to delay treatment while waiting for police support.
"It’s a dilemma because sometimes those people in those situations need our help now," Quin said.
The abuse has extended beyond frontline responders, with emergency call centre staff also subjected to threats.
One operator, who did not want to be identified for safety reasons, said: "He threatened to stab me two times. And then he threatened that if he ever does find me, he will stab me and he will kick me," as reported by 1News.
St John said many staff have required counselling after being left physically and psychologically affected by such incidents, and warned the situation could impact the future of emergency services.
"Our people have the right to come to work and be safe and the right to help people without being abused, threatened or assaulted," Ohs said. "If they are, they will leave, and people need to consider that when they’re making their health choices," 1News has reported.
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