Ambulance crews to get stab-proof vests

10:27am Friday 28th March 2008

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By James Connell »

AMBULANCE crews will wear stab-proof vests as part of a trial to decide whether to introduce them permanently in Worcestershire.

The chain-mail vests would protect crews against knives, handguns, hypodermic needles and stiletto heels if health chiefs decide to bring them in.

The two-month trial was announced by Anthony Marsh, chief executive of the West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, at a board meeting with a report on the trial expected within six months.

Vests with a slash proof collar have already been introduced by Essex Ambulance Service NHS Trust and in parts of London. Each piece of body armour has to be tailor-made for the wearer and weighs about 3.7kg (8.1lbs).

Mr Marsh was the chief executive of the Essex Ambulance Service NHS Trust when he announced "with a heavy heart" that stab proof vests would be introduced there in May, 2005.

He said: "The overwhelming majority of staff in the West Midlands don't want them. They're huge, great big things you can't do anything in."

Mr Marsh also said that staff were potentially at risk at any time, not just a Friday or Saturday night, and the vests would have to be worn "at all times". Staff were asked whether or not they would like the vests and 475 said "yes" and 201 "no" with three spoiled ballots. However, only a quarter of the workforce responded and those who wanted the vests tended to be in urban areas such as Birmingham not rural areas such as Worcestershire.

If the trust decides to have the vests they would cost about £840,000 and about £270 a year to keep the kit in good working order.

Board members had mixed feelings about the vests and said conflict management strategies were just as important in diffusing potentially violent situations.

Tony Yeaman, a non-executive director, said if the vest was introduced it would need to be worn at all times but was concerned staff could suffer heat exhaustion in summer.

Across Worcestershire and Herefordshire there was one assault on ambulance staff with a weapon (a kettle) and 14 physical assaults without weapons between April 1 last year and February 29 this.