Fall in ambulance staff attacks

The number of attacks on staff working for the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has fallen over the past year.

NHS Security Management Service figures showed that during the 2008/09 financial year 35 assaults on staff were reported.

This compares to 43 in the previous 12-month period.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said that while the fall was encouraging, the number of assaults was a very serious matter.

Alan Gallagher, the service's risk and claims manager, added: "It is, however, pleasing to see some success in our attempts to tackle violence against ambulance staff.

"The trust continues to work extremely hard to introduce new initiatives to ensure this downward trend continues."