Paramedic on front line tells of rise in aggression towards emergency workers in Northern Ireland

Aisling McLaren has been punched in the face, subjected to attempted sexual assaults and threatened by a patient who told her they would slit her throat and drink her blood.

Friends and colleagues have required hospital treatment and had to take time off work due to assaults, leaving the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) with fewer available staff.

Ms McLaren described verbal abuse as a "common thing that happens all the time", but that serious assaults are becoming more common.

She said the violence and aggression often happens suddenly, and without warning.

"We could be grand one moment, then the next the person is shouting at us, it can sometimes come out of nowhere, you're really not expecting it," she told the PA news agency.

"I have been punched in the face, that was a few years ago, I was in A&E, we were trying to get a patient on to a bed, and they stood up, punched me, and then punched a doctor.

"There has been attempted sexual assault a few times. One of those occasions with a female with a head injury, covered in blood, had me against the back of the ambulance, trying to kiss me on the side of the face.

"I've had people try and grab me without permission, and I had a recent incident where myself and a crew mate went into a home, whenever we went in, the person was in bed with a massive knife, they were threatening to hurt themselves and at that stage we had to leave because we couldn't get close for fear we would get stabbed with the knife. We contacted police, and they helped us."

Paramedics now have body-worn cameras and an emergency button in the ambulance which broadcasts audio to the NIAS control room.

"I had an incident recently where I pressed the emergency button, afterwards they (the control room) told me to get a cup of tea and take a minute, I was able to continue working, but it (threat of assault) is always there in the back of your mind," she said.

"Our station officers are also very good, mine has been through it herself, and she is a great advocate for making sure we report incidents that happen."

Ms McLaren said she still loves her job, but it can be hard at times.

"I've had friends recently that have been seriously assaulted, one of them who is always at work, and they've now had to take time off," she said.

"These people have families, and they're going back to them and they're injured. People also don't realise there is a knock on effect because that member of staff is then down, and there is less cover.

"It's hard, you can understand if a person is aggressive if they are hypoglycaemic, or out of a seizure because sometimes they will lash out, and they don't mean to, they're not in control of themselves, but the instances of assaults that are increasing are the one where people are aware of what they're doing.

"NIAS is advocating for us to report it, to bring it to the forefront so that we can make a police statement and take it further because a lot of times another crew could be sent and they're being put at risk as well."

She added: "I could never understand people throwing bricks at fire engines either, I don't understand violence against anybody who is trying to do a job.

"There seems to be an increase in people with dependency issues, but I have treated people with alcohol dependency issues but they've been some of the nicest people I have ever met.

"But I think there could be more of an anger in society at the minute, and sometimes there are people who do it (assault emergency workers) and think there will not be any consequences."