The leading causes of injuries have also emerged
Over 1,200 ambulance staff in Northern Ireland have been injured while on duty since 2022, shocking new figures reveal.
Paramedics and ambulance staff suffered injuries at work from a number of different causes, from manual handling to violence.
That’s according to data obtained by Personal Injury Claims UK, which found that 1,261 Northern Ireland Ambulance Service staff have been injured whilst on duty in the past three years.
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Ambulance staff often face a high risk of physical and psychological injuries due to the nature of their work. Manual handling tasks, such as lifting and moving patients, account for a large number of these injuries as they can lead to strains and sprains.
The most common manual handling injuries are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which can affect a person’s movement.
A report written by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) back in 2016 showed that an estimated 8.8 million working days were lost due to MSDs.
In 2022/23, 459 ambulance staff in Northern Ireland were injured whilst working, which is the highest number of injuries in the past three years. That figures dropped to 428 in 2023/24 and over the past year, the service has seen a decrease in staff injuries, with the total standing at 374.
Staff can also experience psychological distress, including post-traumatic stress disorder, due to exposure to trauma and violence.
Figures from the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE) revealed that over 20,000 incidents of violence, aggression and abuse were directed at staff across the 14 UK ambulance services in the 2024/25 financial year.
The number of incidents is the highest ever recorded in the sector and equates to at least 55 ambulance staff being abused or attacked every single day, ranging from common assault to serious attacks.
Personal Injury Claims UK also obtained figures on the main injury causes logged by the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service across its overall service area over the past three years.
Aggressive behaviour towards staff was the most common cause, resulting in 551 injuries, followed by lifting and manual handling, which led to 384 injuries. Slip, trips or falls accounted for 117 injuries while 109 were due to contact with objects and animals. A further 51 injuries were the result of contact with sharp objects.
Due to the recent rise in violent incidents, NHS ambulance services have undertaken a number of initiatives alongside the #WorkWithoutFear campaign to prioritise the safety of their workers, as well as trying to effect behavioural change amongst those who may carry out these assaults.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) divides its operations into five geographic divisions, and the divisions with the highest number of staff injuries have also been identified.
The Belfast Division saw the most staff injuries take place, with 392, followed by the South East Division, which logged 283 injuries The South Division recorded 193 injuries with 185 in the North Division and 158 in the West.
Speaking on the figures released by the AACE, UNISON national ambulance officer Sharan Bandesha said: “No one should be attacked for simply doing their job. Ambulance workers who respond to emergencies, from heart attacks to car crashes, are trying to save lives.
“Rising pressure on the health service has created a toxic environment where violence and abuse are becoming far too common. This is unacceptable. Staff are being left traumatised, injured and even forced out of roles, which makes the workforce crisis worse.”
The NIAS has been approached for comment.
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