Assaults on St John staff up

Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

The number of ambulance officers attacked on the job has more than doubled in the past six years - and St John says bystander violence is partly to blame.

In the 2008/09 year 43 assaults against St John officers were reported, with 21 officers injured.

The number of assaults was down from 2007/08, when 51 were reported, but up significantly from 26 in 2006/07, 28 in 2005/06, 19 in 2004/05 and 16 in 2003/04.

St John operations manager Tony Blaber said the increase was caused by a combination of factors, including improved reporting of incidents by officers and increased vigilance by St John managers.

However, bystanders and family members of injured parties, were more likely to assault ambulance officers than in the past.

"Ambulance officers make allowances for patient and bystander emotions, which can run high at an emergency incident. However, assaults of any kind are unacceptable."

Blaber said most of the assaults in 2008/09 did not involve weapons.

Those that did were generally threats and the crews removed themselves from danger.

He said St John's safety programme was continually monitored, reviewed and updated and changes to procedure were made as required.

"St John has, and is, continuing to develop proactive and wide-ranging approaches to preventing and managing injury."

As part of their training, ambulance officers are taught how to react in "unsafe" situations and to assess risk.