Emergency Services News
DONATE
No Result
View All Result
  • Police
  • Body-Worn Camera Footage
  • National Crime Agency
  • Police Pursuits
  • Police Dogs In Action
  • Court Results
  • Ambulance
  • Fire Service
  • NHS
  • Assaulted on Duty
  • Must See Videos
  • Guest Blog
  • Hoax Calls
  • Rewards & Discounts
  • About ESN
  • Contact
Emergency Services News
No Result
View All Result

“It Happens Every Single Day” – Verbal Abuse Takes Its Toll On 999 Call Handlers

by John Johnson
5 October 2020
in Ambulance Service
5 min read
1
“It Happens Every Single Day” – Verbal Abuse Takes Its Toll On 999 Call Handlers
102
SHARES
5.1k
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The harsh reality of the vile daily verbal abuse and aggression 999 call handlers experience recently came under the spotlight in an episode of BBC One’s Ambulance documentary which was aired on Wednesday 30th September.

London Ambulance Service (LAS) Emergency call co-ordinator Amy had been working in LAS’s control room in Waterloo for less than a year when the series was filmed. She dealt with two abusive callers during the third episode of the series.

In the first of the calls, Amy answers the phone to a woman who says her partner is assaulting her but then launches into a tirade of verbal abuse towards Amy.

Later in the episode, Amy deals with a call from a man who says he’s going to blow up a building, then refuses to tell her where he is and again subjects Amy to a series of abusive language.

Speaking more recently about the abuse that she and her colleagues deal with, Amy says:

“It happens every day in the control room. 

“You can always hear people having some difficult calls around the room where they’re trying to maintain the call and people are being abusive.”

While mental health can be a factor in some abusive calls, Amy says there are a number of other reasons why people take out their frustrations on call handlers: they could be intoxicated, annoyed at the number of questions they’re being asked or simply distressed at the situation unfolding around them.

“Sometimes it can feel personal though – the things people say can be really hurtful,” she adds.

“It’s also really frustrating when you’re doing everything you can to arrange help for someone and all they’re doing is being abusive. 

At the end of the day, the person who suffers the most is the patient, because every time the caller is abusive and shouting, it just delays the help even more.”

Over the past four months alone, LAS staff and volunteers – including control room and frontline crews – have reported 192 cases of verbal abuse, 188 cases of other non-physical abuse (such as threats of violence and antisocial behaviour) and 260 cases of physical assault, including kicking, head butting, spitting, biting and use of weapons. 

However, the true extent of this abuse is significantly under-reported, with many staff and volunteers shrugging it off as being ‘part of the job’.

It prompted the LAS to launch a campaign last year, #NotPartoftheJob, highlighting the effects that daily abuse can have on staff and volunteers, and making it clear the Service will push for the prosecution of perpetrators and the harshest possible sentences.

London Ambulance Service Chief Executive Garrett Emmerson said:

“The third episode of Ambulance gives viewers an insight into the abuse that our call handlers can face on a daily basis, when all they are trying to do is help.

“Whilst the vast majority of our callers and patients are extremely courteous towards our staff, abuse – either verbal or physical – is unacceptable and we will not tolerate it. We always encourage our staff and volunteers to report abuse and we push for the strongest sentences for people who carry out these crimes. We work closely with the police and prosecutors to ensure this happens.”

LAS has also recently recruited two violence reduction officers as part of its ongoing work to protect staff and volunteers. 

The officers work closely with the Metropolitan Police, supporting victims who want to take their cases to court and helping to secure harsher penalties.

The episode that was aired on Wednesday 30th September also features Australian paramedic crewmates Johann and Masih who attend calls including a 30-year-old Romanian man, recently homeless, who is experiencing chest pains.

Australian paramedic crewmates Johann and Masih

Johann and Masih are among more than 500 Australian paramedics working at LAS, making up almost of quarter of all paramedics in the Service.

Due to a national shortage of qualified paramedics in the UK, LAS began actively recruiting paramedics from Australia in 2014, with a total of more than 1,000 Australians taking up paramedic roles in London over the past six years. 

The training of paramedics in Australia closely matches that of the UK.

LAS also recruits staff from several other countries, including New Zealand and Namibia.

Can you help Emergency Services News?

Our mission is simple: To share fact-based stories about the emergency services and the life-saving work they do daily. Each member of our team has served in either the armed forces or emergency services. 

We use our frontline experiences to help inform the general public about the realities of serving in the emergency services, armed forces and NHS. 

But with ad income declining – owing to the pandemic – we need the help of our readers and supporters so that we can keep bringing you fact-based stories which are free from the ‘anti’ narrative which is often projected by some sections of the mainstream media. 

You can help us by making a one-off or reoccurring donation via Paypal. CLICK HERE to become a donor

We would like to thank you in advance for your continued support.

Before you go...

We need your help. As former emergency services & armed forces personnel, we pride ourselves on bringing you important, fast-moving and breaking news stories which are free from the negative bias which is often directed at the emergency services by some sections of the mainstream media.

One of the reasons we started 'Emergency Services News' was because we became tired of reading badly informed stories about the emergency services which seemed only ever to highlight negative aspects of the job.

We want to be the unheard voice of the remarkable men and women who serve in the emergency services, NHS and armed forces. And with around 500k page views each month, we are getting there!

As income from ads, the mainstay source of income for most publishers, continues to decline; we need the help of our readers.

And remember, if you have a service, product or job vacancy that you would like to promote to our large readership, then you can buy advertising space in our articles.

You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.

Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.

SUPPORT EMERGENCY SERVICES NEWS
Share41Tweet26

Related Posts

Two Teenagers Arrested After Collision Left 7-Year-Old Girl Seriously Ill In Hospital
Ambulance Service

Man Jailed After Ambulance Crew Assaulted

Identity Of Male Sought After Emergency Ambulance Station Comes Under Repeated Attack
Ambulance Service

Identity Of Male Sought After Emergency Ambulance Station Comes Under Repeated Attack

Woman Jailed After Assaulting Paramedics On Christmas Eve After Being Rescued From A Fire
Ambulance Service

Woman Jailed After Assaulting Paramedics On Christmas Eve After Being Rescued From A Fire

emergency ambulance
Ambulance Service

Paramedics ‘Attacked With A Knife’ Forcing Them To Seek Refuge In Their Ambulance

WATCH | East Of England Ambulance Service Campaign Reveals Shocking Abuse Received By Call Handlers
Ambulance Service

Police Launch Appeal After Ambulance Crew Threatened By Male Armed With A Baseball Bat

‘Your Christmas Gathering May Well Take Another Life’ – Paramedics Appeal To The Public After The Loss Of His Colleague
Ambulance Service

‘Your Christmas Gathering May Well Take Another Life’ – Paramedics Appeal To The Public After The Loss Of His Colleague

Load More

Comments 1

  1. Avatar steve white says:
    4 months ago

    What sort of scum get there thrills from abusing our emergency services there needs to be a complete overhaul of the laws protecting these people backed up with meaningful sentences of imprisonment. Members of the public who see this abuse going on need to step up and intervene. I know its not condoned but the application of some measured violence to these scum would in my opinion be completely justified.

    Reply

Let us know what you think in the comments below Cancel reply

  • Police
  • Body-Worn Camera Footage
  • National Crime Agency
  • Police Pursuits
  • Police Dogs In Action
  • Court Results
  • Ambulance
  • Fire Service
  • NHS
  • Assaulted on Duty
  • Must See Videos
  • Guest Blog
  • Hoax Calls
  • Rewards & Discounts
  • About ESN
  • Contact
© Emergency Services News
No Result
View All Result
  • Police
  • Body-Worn Camera Footage
  • National Crime Agency
  • Police Pursuits
  • Police Dogs In Action
  • Court Results
  • Ambulance
  • Fire Service
  • NHS
  • Assaulted on Duty
  • Must See Videos
  • Guest Blog
  • Hoax Calls
  • Rewards & Discounts
  • About ESN
  • Contact