‘Don’t treat violent drunks’ (From This Is Lancashire)

‘Don’t treat violent drunks’

7:48am Monday 18th May 2009

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VIOLENT drunks should be refused treatment by Bolton’s paramedics, a senior health figure said last night.

Cllr Andy Morgan, chairman of Bolton Council’s health overview and scrutiny committee, said he was shocked at what paramedics face on a daily basis.

His comments came as The Bolton News witnessed at first hand the effects alcohol-related violence and disorder have on the town’s paramedics.

He said: “It is unacceptable that paramedics have to put up with this and offenders should feel the full force of the law.

“We should have zero tolerance for those under the influence of alcohol.

“At the hospital drunks are thrown out if they misbehave and it should be the same for paramedics —they don’t treat abusive people unless their condition is life-threatening.”

We spent a rainy Friday night shift with a rapid responder, a paramedic who works alone, to see first hand the situations they face every shift.

Half of the incidents attended were fuelled by booze, while staff — working to save lives — regularly found themselves in potentially volatile situations.

Rapid responders are not even allowed to attend incidents on their own after 2am because they could be placed in too much danger.

We accompanied Caz Hollick, a paramedic for eight years.

She said: “Weekend nights used to be a different kind of job, a lot more drink-related incidents, but we can get them at any time now. Any night can be what you would think was a weekend night — I’d say half our jobs involve alcohol.

“Drink is not necessarily the reason for violence, but often alcohol is behind it. People who are threatening or assault us are usually drunk.”

Miss Hollick also revealed that after 2am rapid responders cannot attend incidents on their own because it is unsafe, so ambulance crews or the police accompany them.

The physical and verbal abuse paramedics face prompted the North West Ambulance Service to launch its Stop Abuse campaign in November to raise awareness of the violence and aggression ambulance staff face and to reiterate that it will not be tolerated.

In March this year, The Bolton News reported that attacks and abuse were on the rise, with crews in Bolton facing people biting, punching and pushing, as well as shouting, swearing and making insults.

Figures showed there had been an average of one physical attack every three weeks at the start of this year, compared to one a month early in 2008.

Del Wray, Greater Manchester area director for the NWAS, said: “It is totally unacceptable that emergency workers should face aggression. We are committed to addressing this issue.”

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