Wetherspoon backs ambulance abuse campaign
Tuesday, 21 May, 2019
L-R David Neil, Manager of the Wetherspoon Manor House, Royston, Dorothy Hosein, Chief Executive of East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST), Ant Brett, Safety and Risk Lead (EEAST).
A national pub chain was backing hard-hitting messages from the ambulance service in the run-up to Easter.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) campaign - Don't Choose to Abuse - highlights the abuse which staff receive and the consequences for perpetrators.
During 2017-18 there were more than 1,000 incidents reported by EEAST staff, including 252 incidents of physical abuse and intimidation - eight where weapons were used.
The campaign was been re-launched across the six counties which the Trust serves (Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk), reminding people that assaulting ambulance crew members can result in a prison sentence of up to 12 months.
Forty-seven JD Wetherspoon pubs in the region shared the message through the campaign's distinctive green Don't Choose to Abuse posters and drinks mats.
Dorothy Hosein Chief Executive of EEAST said: "It's totally unacceptable to abuse ambulance crews and call handlers who are only there to help.
"We are therefore delighted that Wetherspoon has chosen to endorse our message now, as Easter and the May bank holidays are often a very busy time for us.
It's a reminder that our staff work through the holidays to help people and keep them safe, and they need your respect and support to do their job."
