A paramedic has called for abuse against ambulance staff to stop after shocking footage showed the moment a patient pushed him out of a vehicle outside a London hospital.
Video footage published by the London Ambulance Service shows the paramedic falling to the ground and landing painfully on his elbow.
The incident took place outside the Chelsea and Westminster hospital earlier this year.
The male patient was arrested at the scene and later convicted.
He is said to have verbally abused two members of the ambulance crew and used homophobic language because both men had long hair.
The paramedic, 30, said: “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.
“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 body-worn camera now and I make sure I'm never alone with some patients who I think might be a risk.”
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.
“Working with our partners, we will do everything possible to keep them safe, including securing convictions where possible.”
Last year, the LAS installed panic buttons and recording devices in its vehicles as part of a £3 million investment to help deter violence against emergency workers.
Staff have also been given access to panic buttons, which record audio in case it is needed for a prosecution.
In June 2021, body-worn cameras were rolled out to crews across the capital in a bid to reduce attacks on emergency staff.
There were 561 reports of physical assault on ambulance crews last year but just 38 successful prosecutions, according to the LAS.
