Overview

• UK ambulance staff faced 22,536 incidents of violence, aggression, and abuse in 2024/25, marking a 15% increase from the previous year.
• The assaults, averaging 62 incidents daily, include physical attacks, sexual assault, verbal abuse, and cases involving weapons.
• Female ambulance workers are three times, and male workers twice, as likely as the NHS average to face workplace violence.
• Key drivers of the attacks include alcohol, drugs, mental health issues, and discrimination based on race or sexuality.
• The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) is urging health ministers and the judiciary to implement new deterrents and ensure consistent sentencing for offenders.