West Midlands Ambulance crew injured in attack by man they were treating
Two ambulance crew members have been left injured after being attacked by a man they were treating in the West Midlands.
A paramedic suffered a dislocated thumb and an emergency medical technician was left with chest and arm injuries after the assault.
The two male crew members were attacked after being called to to reports of a middle-aged man who was unconscious after falling in Coleshill, Warwickshire, at around 6.10pm on Sunday.
The man hit out at the crew and tried to break one of the windows of the ambulance, West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said.
Police and a paramedic operations manager were also sent to the scene and the man was taken to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield by the crew.
The crew activated the CCTV in the ambulance and were also wearing body cameras as part of a trial.
While at the hospital, the man became verbally abusive and police were again called to the scene where he was arrested.
Both ambulance staff members were treated at hospital before being discharged and are likely to be off work for some time, a WMAS spokesman said.
Andrew Proctor, assistant ambulance chief officer, said: “Our staff come to work to help people in their hour of need. It is never acceptable for our staff to be either verbally or physically abused.
“We have now lost two members of staff from frontline operations while they recover which will have an inevitable impact on our ability to respond to patients in a timely manner.
“We will be pushing for the courts to take the toughest possible action in this and every such case so that people know that it is not acceptable.
“We know from the feedback we receive from the public that they find such actions abhorrent, so we hope the courts will reflect the strength of that feeling.”
Warwickshire Police has been contacted for comment.
It comes nearly two months after a two paramedics were stabbed as they visited a house in Stephens Close, Wolverhampton.
Paramedics Michael Hipgrave and Deena Evans had been called to carry out a welfare check at his Ashmore Park home.
Martyn Smith has since been charged with two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and is due to stand trial in May next year.
