Commenting on a new national campaign called #WorkWithoutFear, which focuses on violence, aggression and assault experienced by NHS ambulance staff, and run by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives and NHS England, the deputy chief executive of NHS Providers, Saffron Cordery said:

"We are proud to support this national campaign to ensure that ambulance staff can go to work without fear.

"The safety of staff is the top priority for trust leaders. It is unacceptable that NHS staff experience violence or aggression, whether that be physical or verbal.

"We are particularly concerned that Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff, LGBTQ+ staff and other staff with protected characteristics face additional challenges in the workplace.

"NHS ambulance staff provide an incredibly important service to our communities, ensuring that people receive the care they need as quickly as possible, often in life-threatening situations. This involves working incredibly hard to treat people at the scene or getting them to A&E departments, if necessary, while control room staff ensure that those with the most urgent needs are prioritised.

"Staff being intimidated or attacked not only impacts the staff members involved, but also leads to an impact on the care provided to patients, and undermines with vital staff recruitment drives."