Female paramedic assaulted and sustains head injury on emergency call in Omagh

by Gráinne Connolly

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service responded to a medical emergency near Omagh in the early hours yesterday morning. 

On arrival at the scene a female Paramedic was assaulted by the patient who punched and bit her. 

In an attempt to calm the situation, the paramedic removed herself from the scene only to be attacked a second time by the patient who she had arrived to help. 

PSNI arrived at the scene shortly after and arrested the assailant. 

A spokesperson for the PSNI says she then proceeded to further assault two police officers: 

A spokesperson for the NIAS says:

"Calls to NIAS in the early hours of the morning are normally serious in nature and NIAS staff are focused on providing life-saving care.

"They do not expect that, while providing treatment, they will be assaulted by the patient themselves.

"Attacks on our crews continue at a rate of more than 8 a week. In the twelve months to 30 September, more than 420 verbal and physical assaults were reported by our staff. This situation is totally unacceptable.

"We have previously talked about the impact that these attacks have on the communities we serve in terms of crews being stood down mid-shift.

"We have talked about the potential for the loss of life as a result of reduced cover following these assaults.

"While this potential still exists we are even more concerned about the impact of such assaults on the health and well-being of our staff.

"These assaults are not something which our crews are able to forget about within minutes. We have evidence to show how the impact can be felt years later and the event relived at any moment in time.

"NIAS will continue to call for the full rigour of the law to be applied in instances where evidence against an assailant is clear and indisputable.

"We are heartened at some of the recent sentences that have been passed and hope that those who find themselves before the court on such charges will face the real prospect of custodial sentences"