Canberra paramedics become patients every couple of days

Wed 8 Jul 2026 at 7:38pm

Wed 8 Jul 2026 at 7:38pm

In short:

The ACT Ambulance Service (ACTAS) says its paramedics experienced more than 190 incidents of occupational violence across the 2025-26 financial year.

Recent incidents have left paramedics in need of medical attention.

ACTAS has also faced understaffing concerns, with a recent ACT government cash injection criticised for falling short.

The ACT Ambulance Service (ACTAS) is speaking out over "absolutely unacceptable" instances of violence directed at Canberra paramedics.

There were more than 190 occupational violence incidents recorded last financial year, which equated to more than one every two days.

ACTAS chief officer David Dutton said it was a "sad reality".

"Just in the last couple of months we've had instances where paramedics have become the patients after an incident of occupational violence," Mr Dutton said.

"The paramedics have found themselves transported to hospital and assessed by Canberra Health Services staff.

"They are often exposed to unacceptable levels of verbal or physical aggression from members of the public."

Impacts lifesaving work

Mr Dutton said it was not only unsafe for the workers but it impacted the lifesaving work they did.

"This is not just a safety issue for paramedics," he said.

"This is also a patient safety issue because when paramedics are not safe, their ability to provide care can be interrupted or delayed.

"That is absolutely unacceptable.

"No-one comes to work and deserves to be sworn at, spat at, to be physically threatened or intimidated or struck or punched.

"We ask the community to play their part in keeping our paramedics safe."

Canberra's ambulance service has also struggled with chronic understaffing, according to an internal review released last year.

The Transport Workers' Union, which represents paramedics, recently criticised the ACT government's frontline funding boost for falling short of what it said was a need for 50 further workers.

It was about this time last year that understaffing meant there were only four stretchered ambulances on Canberra roads for several hours on a particular night.