Tougher sentence call after a rise in ambulance staff abuse

More incidents of violence and abuse against Yorkshire Ambulance staff were recorded last year, according to the most-recently released official figures.

- by Harriet Sutton

The Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), which collected the data, also warned that low conviction rates and lenient sentences are “failing to deter offenders”.

The figures show 2,090 incidents of violence, aggression and abuse were directed at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust staff in the year to March-up from 1,633 the year before. It was also the highest figure since at least 2016-17.