Abusive patient pushes paramedic out of ambulance after urinating inside vehicle and abusing staff
CCTV footage shows a patient assaulting a paramedic - leaving him such pain he thought he had broken his arm.
In the footage - released by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) - a man can be seen pushing the worker out of the door of an ambulance.
The 30-year-old victim lands on top of his arm and is seen writhing in pain.
The LAS said the patient also urinated in the ambulance and shouted homophobic abuse at other male staff because they had long hair.
Police on the scene subsequently arrested the assailant, who has since been convicted and ordered to pay the paramedic compensation.
The incident took place outside the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital earlier this year.
'An unacceptable way to treat us'
"It was very painful - so much so I thought I had broken my arm at first. There was such a sharp pain and then numbness," the paramedic said
"I'm glad this went to court because it reminds people this an unacceptable way to treat us and needs to be stopped.
"We come to work to help people, not for this. I always wear a bodyworn camera now and I make sure I'm never alone with some patients who I think might be a risk."
Read more from Sky News:
E-bike fire destroys part of house
Fake nurse entered hospital and stole documents
Online GP appointments 'could put patients at risk'
Between April 2022 and March 2023 the LAS reported 561 physical assaults on ambulance crews, with 156 CCTV clips handed to police.
Offenders are often able to avoid court on medical grounds, but there were 38 successful prosecutions.
LAS has invested more than £3m on installing CCTV inside its ambulances.
Chief paramedic Dr John Martin said: "Our ambulance crews and call handlers come to work to help Londoners at times of need.
"It is one of the best jobs in the city but we cannot, and will not, accept violence or physical threat towards them."