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North West Ambulance Service launches campaign to combat emergency worker abuse

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North West Ambulance Service launches campaign to combat emergency worker abuse
Image credit: North West Ambulance Service.

North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has launched a campaign to highlight the abuse faced by emergency workers every day and influence change to combat it.

The service said that in just six months there has been more than 1,000 recorded incidents of violence and aggression against its 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, the service is using anonymised audio recordings from the 111 and 999 calls it receives to shed light on the vile verbal assaults that call handlers endure while working to save lives.

A former detective now on the case

Former detective Natalie Samuels joined NWAS 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 Samuels, NWAS’s head of violence prevention reduction and security.

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.

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

North West Ambulance Service’s announcement comes after the Welsh Ambulance Service launched a similar appeal in the run up to Christmas.

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