 The posters warn would-be attackers that they could face prison |
A campaign that aims to cut assaults on ambulance staff has been backed by South East Coast Ambulance (SECAmb). Posters warning people they could face a prison sentence if they attack members of staff will be placed in ambulances and hospitals.
According to SECAmb, 81 members of its staff were assaulted during 2006/07, compared to 67 the year before.
It said a 27-year-old man was jailed for two months for kicking and punching a paramedic in May 2006.
Trust security manager, Bill Chilcott, said: "The number of assaults against our staff and other NHS staff is not acceptable.
"We are committed to protecting our staff from violence and making sure that anyone who does attack an ambulance clinician is appropriately punished.
"We are working closely with the NHS Security Management Service and the police to ensure that prosecutions are successful wherever possible."
Richard Hampton, head of the NHS Security Management Service, said: "With these posters, we want to send a message to people who think it is acceptable to assault NHS ambulance workers: 'if you do this the NHS will do all it can to make sure you are suitably punished - you could go to prison'."
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?