Queensland Ambulance Service launches campaign targeting violence on the job

Being spat on, sworn at or physically assaulted is not in the ambulance job description and nor should it happen.

BEING spat on, sworn at or physically assaulted is not in the ambulance job description and nor should it happen.

That is the message to the Townsville community in a new campaign targeting abuse on the job.

The Queensland Ambulance Service today launched the campaign calling on the community to respect staff, because “there’s no excuse for abuse”.

Paramedics will share their stories of violence and abuse on the job.

The Townsville region reported 54 cases of occupational violence to the 12 months to June 2018, up from 50 the previous year.

Already 38 cases have been reported in the 2018-19 financial year.

Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Steven Miles urged the community to reinforce how socially unacceptable it was to abuse hardworking paramedics and triple-0 call takers trying to provide help to the sick and injured.

“Ambulance staff interact with the community when they are at their most vulnerable and should never be the punching bag for a patient or bystander who feels the need to lash out,” he said.

According to the latest Public Performance Indicators report by Queensland Ambulance Service, the Townsville region ranks the highest on the “crew safety index,” which is based on the rate of physical and verbal abuse directed at paramedics per 100,000 hours worked.

Member for Thuringowa Aaron Harper, a former paramedic, said attacks against Townsville paramedics remained static which is why QAS was running a localised campaign.

QAS Assistant Commissioner Townsville Local Ambulance Service Network Robbie Medlin said the organisation was doing all it could to protect staff from incidents of occupational violence.

Originally published as Queensland Ambulance Service launches campaign targeting violence on the job