Emergency paramedics will not enter 14 East End homes without police
Woman critically ill after being struck by lightning in park - Credit: Archant
Paramedics will not enter 14 East End homes without police for fear of being attacked or abused by patients.
The London Ambulance Service’s location alert register holds nearly 400 addresses across the capital at which staff have either been attacked, threatened with a weapon or verbally abused in the past.
A total of 13 of the homes on the list are located in Tower Hamlets while another 11 are found within the neighbouring borough of Newham, some of which don’t require police to accompany ambulance staff.
Crews called out on emergencies to any of these addresses are alerted beforehand to help them prepare for a “potentially dangerous situation,” said ambulance operations manager Athar Khan.
“At least one member of ambulance staff is attacked every day in London and at least two are verbally abused.
You may also want to watch:
“We have a duty to protect our staff and let them know if they’re about to be sent into a potentially violent situation.
“We have to balance the need to protect our staff and the need of the patient.”
Most Read
- 1 Ethnic communities not taking up Covid jabs, Tower Hamlets Mayor warns
- 2 'Racist consultation' protest rejected on Tower Hamlets street closures as Labour sticks to its manifesto
- 3 Airbnb house party violence leaves police officer with broken finger
- 4 Council fined for Alexia Walenkaki's playground death in Mile End and says sorry to family
- 5 Streets around proposed Chinese embassy building could be renamed after persecuted Muslims
- 6 Police hunt after stabbing in Cable Street: One man hurt
- 7 Police raid cannabis factory near Liverpool Street station: 2 arrests
- 8 No injuries but 20 rescued as firefighters tackle Limehouse blaze
- 9 Teenager found dead in Victoria Park
Incidents are logged by their severity across four categories.
Homes where there has been a category one or two incident — where staff have been physically attacked, threatened with a weapon or intimidated — will not be entered without a police presence.
Category three incidents are where a staff member has been verbally abused and category four incidents include situations where a medical condition was a contributing factor.
The list is reviewed and amended every 12 months and letters are sent out to individuals at the different addresses informing they are on it and how the ambulance service will respond to their 999 calls.
