Sussex areas paramedics most likely to be assaulted revealed

South East Coast Ambulance Service recorded 69 attacks - about one every five days - on its staff in Sussex in the last financial year.

Paramedics were attacked almost every other day in July 2015, with Crawley and Worthing accounting for three of the 13 incidents in that month each.

A Freedom of Information request revealed the worst area was Brighton and Hove with 16 assaults from April 2015 to March 2016 while no assaults were recorded in Horsham and Lewes.

Joint second were Worthing and Hastings with ten.

Crawley had nine, Eastbourne seven, Arun six, Adur four, Mid Sussex three and Rother one.

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: “Just one assault against our staff is one too many and ambulance crews must never be made to feel that violence or the threat of violence is just a part of their job. We encourage staff to report and take action against anyone who physically attacks or verbally abuses them.

“The huge majority of patients and members of the public know that this kind of behaviour is deplorable and would never think of hurting someone who saves lives and serves the community. Sadly there are a very small number of individuals who seem to think this is acceptable. We will continue to work closely with the police and CPS to take action or pursue civil sanctions against them.”

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