A female paramedic sustained serious injuries during a violent assault at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry on Saturday evening. According to BBC News, the attack occurred at approximately 17:45 GMT when the paramedic was helping transfer a male patient from an ambulance stretcher to a chair. Police have identified a suspect, and enquiries remain ongoing.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) reported that the paramedic suffered injuries to the back of her head, neck, face and hands, and is believed to have sustained concussion. The assault lasted several minutes and involved a sustained attack on the paramedic as she lay on the ground after being struck.
According to the NIAS account, the incident unfolded after the service received a call to provide medical assistance to a male patient being transported to the hospital following initial treatment. Belfast Telegraph reported that NIAS dispatched an Advanced Paramedic Urgent Care clinician, a Rapid Response Paramedic and an emergency crew to the call. Upon arrival at the hospital, the patient delivered a punch to the face of one paramedic as she assisted him from the stretcher to a chair. The force of the blow knocked her down and dislodged her glasses.
A second paramedic attempted to intervene but was unable to position herself effectively to help after the assailant also attempted to punch her. The attacker then redirected his focus back to the first paramedic, launching a prolonged assault on her as she lay helpless on the ground.
Response from ambulance service leadership
Jenny Keane, chief executive of the NIAS, expressed her reaction to the incident in stark terms.
This incident is particularly disturbing given that it was perpetrated by an adult male on a female paramedic, while her other female colleagues did what they could to help.She highlighted the paramedic's long career, noting that
This was a sustained assault on a paramedic who has a career of over 37 years, caring for her local community.
Keane acknowledged that while the paramedic's physical injuries may heal over the coming days and weeks, she expressed concern about the psychological and emotional toll.
Although her physical injuries, of which there are many, may heal over the coming days and weeks, I would be concerned at the psychological and emotional impact this may have on her and others involved.
The NIAS chief executive stressed the fundamental right of ambulance staff to perform their duties safely.
NIAS staff must be free to go anywhere without the fear of being assaulted, quite simply for delivering care and compassion to someone they have been called to assist.
Political response and broader concerns
Sinéad McLaughlin, Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Foyle assembly member, who knows the paramedic personally, condemned the attack.
We cannot allow attacks on healthcare workers to become something that is simply accepted as part of the job.She called for a firm stance against such violence, stating that
We need to send a clear message that this will not be tolerated, and the safety of our frontline workers must be a priority.
The assault reflects a broader pattern of violence against ambulance workers across Northern Ireland. Belfast Telegraph reported that NIAS recorded 1,936 physical-abuse incidents and 1,343 verbal-abuse incidents against ambulance staff over the five financial years covered by figures released in 2025, with 2024/25 accounting for 367 physical assaults and 230 verbal assaults. The problem extends beyond Northern Ireland: across 14 UK ambulance services, 22,536 incidents of violence and abuse were reported in 2024/25, representing nearly a 15% increase from the previous year, according to the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives.
What happens next
Police continue their enquiries into the incident. No arrest or court date has been reported in available coverage at this time.
