In 2024-25, UK ambulance services reported 22,536 incidents of violence, an almost 15 per cent increase from the previous year. This equates to at least 62 ambulance staff being abused or attacked daily.

In the March 2025 NHS Staff Survey found that 38 per cent of frontline NHS ambulance staff experienced physical violence at work within the past year, although only 76 per cent of these assaults were reported.

2024-25 is the highest year on record for reported incidents, having been on the rise for the past four years.

Consequently, the chair of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), Jason Killens, has urged ministers to explore new national policy measures to combat worsening violence against UK ambulance staff.

AACE data has found that summer is the worst time for violent incidents, with alcohol, drugs, and mental health crises being significant contributing factors. Race and sexuality have also been identified as exacerbating factors in these assaults.

AACE managing director, Anna Parry, said: “These new figures are beyond worrying and underline the upsetting fact that ambulance employees face the very real possibility of being subject to violence or abuse each time they start a shift, which is just unacceptable. This can have a significant and lasting impact on wellbeing and can sometimes even lead to people leaving the ambulance service.

“Our ongoing #WorkWithoutFear campaign is shining a light on this alarming issue and raising awareness of the negative impact of this behaviour on our people, while a significant amount of work is ongoing within ambulance services to help better protect our workforce.

Following this data, the acute director of the NHS Confederation, Rory Deighton, said: “It is deeply concerning that there has been a 15 per cent increase in the reporting of violence incidents against ambulance staff. It is unacceptable and can have a significant impact on staff health and wellbeing.

“The safety of all NHS staff is not negotiable. Everyone should be able to go to work without the fear that they might be attacked or assaulted while doing their job.

“After one of the toughest winters for the ambulance service we’ve seen in years, we cannot have a summer with yet another spike in cases of violence faced by crews when they are responding to and helping those most in need in life-threatening emergencies every single day.