Attacks on paramedics on life-saving calls continue to rise despite new government legislation introduced last year which increased the prison sentence on assailants from 6 to 12 months.

Magistrates, however, are not using the tougher powers they have been given and most assailants end up with a fine or community service.

The impact of these violent and vicious attacks is serious:

1. The injured paramedic is hospitalised and many are leaving the ambulance service for fear of being attacked and with mental health problems;

2.  The service is suffering from a critical shortage of paramedics and a great recruitment problem to replace them;

3.  Health-related absenteeism continues to rise costing the NHS millions of pounds at a time of severe budget restraint.