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Medic beaten unconscious by his patient
Anna Davis12.12.08
A PARAMEDIC was beaten unconscious on a London street by a patient he was sent to help.
John Reed, 35, had to be rushed to hospital after his patient woke up and punched and kicked him.
It comes after the Standard revealed hundreds of the capital's roads have become no-go areas because of attacks on medical staff. The London Ambulance Service called on patients to treat paramedics with respect as they revealed emergency workers receive abuse every day.
Mr Reed was sent to reports of an unconscious man on the street in Dagenham on Saturday. He saw the man was breathing and shook his arm. The patient then stood up, shouted abuse at the paramedic and beat him unconscious.
The attacker ran off and Mr Reed, of Dagenham, who arrived alone, was found by colleagues already en route to support him.
Reader views (8)
nope we are not trained in self defense... usually we have police officers on scene with us... but usually we are all alone it can be scary at times!
- Samantha, kenosha, USA
Are the medics trained in self defense or some sort of defensive tactics? I hope this dirt bag gets whats coming to him.
- Tony, Boston USA
Lone paramedics are sent there in cars because cars are faster, also some calls that Ambulance Control receive can be very vague and each call has to be treated as serious until proven otherwise.
- Kevin, Egham UK
The paramedic should never have been sent alone, without any idea of what might be wrong with the patient. A bipolar person can be extremely violent and dangerous when in a manic phase. This may not have been the case in this instance but until some diagnosis has been made, it is insane to send someone out on their own.
- Clarissa, Vienna, Austria
Disgusting & lets hope they are able to catch this scumbag
- Dave, Lewisham
Paramedics should be working in pairs. This is what happens when you cut costs by sending them out alone.
- Rob, Letchworth
It's a sign of the times in this awful society we've grown into. It's shameful.
- Sue, Orpington, Kent
Nice one Labour.
Tough for the victims of Labour voters, I mean crime.
- Frank, Home Counties, England