Anti-violence call after ambo’s teeth smashed in the line of duty

DESPITE being left traumatised and embarrassed after losing his front teeth in the line of duty, Hobart’s Nick O’Brien is speaking up to draw attention to the issue of assaults against paramedics.

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HOBART  paramedic Nick O’Brien has lost his front teeth. Not because he got in a fight; not because he was in an accident; but because he was doing his job.

Mr O’Brien is embarrassed by his appearance and traumatised by the incident that led to his injuries, but he wants to speak up to draw attention to the issue of assaults against paramedics.

Mr O’Brien, 58, was injured in October last year when he and a colleague responded to an emergency call at Bridgewater.

“We attended an intoxicated­ male lying in the driveway of his home and after I introduced myself he lashed out and hit me in the mouth,” Mr O’Brien said.

Police attended the scene and a man has since been charged.

Mr O’Brien went back to work the day after the incident. His teeth were damaged but still in place. It was only when an infection set in that four front teeth had to be removed.

He has since had surgery to place bone implants in his jaw and will have more surgery in March to replace the teeth.

“I lost all of my ­con­fidence. I’m embarrassed to go out in public. I’m very self-conscious in front of people,” Mr O’Brien said.

“That’s a problem with my job as I’m meeting new people every day.”

It was not the first time in Mr O’Brien’s 10-year ambulance career he has been ­assaulted. He once had his ribs broken when working as a ­paramedic on the Gold Coast.

“The biggest problem is ­alcohol followed by drugs, or a mix of both,” he said.

“The use of crystal meth is on the rise and creating ­increased aggression at some of the call-outs we attend.”

Mr O’Brien will take part in a major rally on the Gold Coast today as part of a national campaign by the Australian Paramedics Association.

The APA is calling for a three-pronged approach to ­assaults: stronger minimum sentences for offenders; ­improving safety systems within­ ambulance services; and changing community attitudes.

Independent Denison MP Andrew Wilkie said more needed to be done at state and national level to address violence against paramedics.

“There is simply no excuse for any member of the community to assault an emergency­ services worker,” he said.

Mr Wilkie said he was concerned about resourcing of emergency services, given Tasmania Police did not seem to have the capacity to accompany­ paramedics to hospital with violent patients.

In the wake of two separate violent incidents involving paramedics in October, Health Minister Michael Ferguson said the State Government was considering a range of actions.

These include extending mandatory minimum sen­tences for assaults on police to other emergency workers.

Tasmania Police training, including “breakaway techniques”, is also set to become a mandatory part of professional development for paramedics.

Mr Ferguson yesterday reiterated his concerns about ­violence.

“It’s highly regrettable when you see people being ­violent or aggressive towards our staff. It’s not acceptable,” he said.

In response to Mr Wilkie’s comments about police ­capacity to respond to violence patients, a Government spokesman said the Liberals were committed to restoring frontline police numbers.