Campaign to stop ambulance abuse

The campaign is focused on pubs

The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has begun a campaign to prevent its crews from coming under attack.

Police and Pubwatch schemes are also involved in the Stop Abuse anti-violence campaign.

In 2007/2008, there were 234 reported assaults on NWAS staff, not including verbal abuse of threatening behaviour, 67 of which were reported to police.

The ambulance service covers the Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire areas.

The first part of the campaign will focus on pubs and has been rolled out in bars in Blackpool, Carlisle, Chester, Liverpool and Manchester.

NWAS said anyone that abused ambulance staff was putting the public at risk.

'Strong message'

Ambulance crews facing abuse can be taken off duty and their vehicle off the road, meaning vital resources are unavailable to respond to life threatening emergencies, it said.

All licensed premises belonging to Pubwatch schemes in north-west England have committed to considering the use of banning orders on individuals who subject ambulance crews to physical or verbal assaults in any of their premises.

The banning order if agreed by Pubwatch members will see them excluded from all pubs and clubs within that particular Pubwatch area.

John Burnside chief executive for North West Ambulance Service, said: "The project is designed to offer support to ambulance staff giving them the confidence to report incidents when they occur.

"It will advise members of the public that there will be consequences to those who assault ambulance staff.

"It also sends a strong message to offenders that if you verbally abuse or physically assault a North West Ambulance Service staff in a licensed premise, you may receive a banning order."

The next stage of the Stop Abuse will target NHS Trusts, GP surgeries, off-licences and car parks.

The NWAS answers 780,000 emergency calls a year.