North West Ambulance Service launches campaign to combat abuse against emergency workers

In just six months, there has been more than 1,000 recorded incidents of violence and aggression against our staff, which averages 165 incidents per month or five assaults every day. These include both verbal and physical abuse targeting ambulance crews and call handler staff. They do not include the incidents that go unreported.

To expose the reality of this abuse, we are using anonymised audio recordings from our 111 and 999 calls. These clips reveal the vile verbal assaults that call handlers endure while working to save lives.

Former detective Natalie Samuels joined the service in July as head of violence prevention reduction and security. With 15 years of policing experience, Natalie is leading efforts to ensure no abuse goes unchecked, “Our service users need to be aware that they can’t hide behind the phone, verbal abuse is not okay and you can be prosecuted. We also want to raise awareness and educate staff that any form of abuse should not be accepted and only by reporting these incidents can these offenders be punished for their abuse.”

Natalie has already made a significant impact. After working with 111 colleagues in the summer to encourage reporting of verbal abuse, violence and aggression incident reports increased by 500%. There is now at least one verbal abuse incident recorded per day. “This highlights how vital it is for staff to feel supported in reporting abuse,” she said.

Natalie is now expanding these initiatives to our 999 call centres, with a focus on improving reporting culture and highlighting the serious repercussions for those who verbally abuse staff. One notable case resulted in a successful prosecution: In July Mahinder Singh, 36, from Trafford, was handed a £500 fine, 100 hours of unpaid work and a 16-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months after a homophobic verbal attack on a call handler after he called for help for his mother. The homophobic clip was featured on BBC North West Tonight on Thursday 5 December 2024.

To strengthen support for staff, Natalie has expanded her team, appointing violence prevention and reduction specialist practitioners across the NWAS footprint: Greater Manchester, Cumbria and Lancashire, and Cheshire and Merseyside. These specialists provide advice and direct support to staff through the prosecution process, promote the use of body-worn cameras, risk map repeat offenders to proactively address potential threats, and implement support strategies aimed at preventing future offences.

Beyond internal efforts, Natalie is working closely with external partners, including police, hospitals, local councils and violence prevention networks to address this issue collaboratively. She added, “Tackling violence requires a community approach. Together, we can implement prevention strategies that protect emergency workers and foster safer environments.”

This campaign serves as a reminder that emergency workers should be able to come to work without the fear of abuse. We are calling on the public to play their part in creating a culture where violence and aggression have no place.