ASSAULTS on ambulance staff have almost doubled.
Last year 19 Isleworth team members were physically assaulted, up from 10 the year before, in ambulances which cover Hounslow and Richmond boroughs.
Edward Potter, Isleworth Ambulance Operations Manger, said: "Out of the 19 assaults, some included the threat of violence, a lot involved spitting but some were much more serious. One staff member was kicked in the stomach.
"Staff that work for the ambulance service are there to provide care so being assaulted when you are trying to help is incredibly distressing and can have quite long lasting effects. Spitting is a revolting act."
He added that there were a number of reasons why reported assaults have increased.
These include the fact that staff are encouraged more to report assaults than before but they also attend a lot more incidents where alcohol is involved, meaning an attack is more likely to happen.
He added: "All our staff receive training to deal with conflict and to learn non-aggressive body language. We were also the first ambulance service in the country to issue stab vests. Even though the threat is low, our staff safety is paramount.
"If a staff member is assaulted then the ambulance can be taken off the road, staff have to take time off either to recover or to speak to police, when they could be out saving lives.
"However, I want to add that the vast majority of patients hugely appreciative of work that we do."
Across London there was an increase of 36 per cent over the last year, with 470 assaults up from 346.
