** Australian EMS service in Victoria looking to uniform mounted cameras to stem assaults against medics
** UK medic sent to hospital for mental health assessment after melting down in court over drinking related driving ban
AUSTRALIA NEWS
** In an effort to stem assaults against paramedics and pursue prosecutions against assailants, Ambulance Victoria could soon begin a uniform mounted body camera trial. The Herald Sun (September 10) said the decision comes after some 1600 operational medics, or nearly half of the workforce, are off due to stress, trauma, or assault related injuries at any given time. During 2014-15, officials stats indicate one paramedic was threatened or attacked every day. Of the 328 reported incidents, some 33 per cent were physical assaults, while 100 involved patients high on drugs or alcohol. Ambulance Victoria spokesman Mark Stephenson said his organization has put forward a proposal to the government to fund the cameras. Union spokesman Steve McGhee said members support any idea that is going to ease off on the violence directed against practitioners. McGhee said, however, a trial is in order. He said there are fears unstable patients may take aggressive action to forcibly remove the camera’s from paramedics’ uniforms.
UNITED KINGDOM NEWS
** A Blackburn paramedic had to be taken to hospital Friday for a mental health assessment after being given a six month driving ban for failing to provide a urine sample to police. That is the word from The Lancashire Telegraph (September 10) which said Alison Greaves, 26, was transported after becoming agitated while at the court house. According to the newspaper, she went into a meltdown because the prohibition and 10 licence demerits meant she would lose her job and therefore be unable to pay for her home. The court appearance came after she was arrested passed out in a car with a half empty bottle of wine next to her. Greaves told police she had no intention of driving, but refused to provide any sample to prove her level of intoxication. A breathalyzer, however, determined she was three times over the legal limit. Along with the above mentioned sentence, Greaves was tasked with paying 85 pounds court costs and was released on a conditional discharge.
