A female paramedic was assaulted while on duty in Derry on Saturday at approximately 5.45pm, the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) has confirmed. The paramedic, who has over 37 years of service, sustained injuries to her head, neck, face and hands. A colleague was also involved in the incident.

NIAS Chief Executive Jenny Keane said the attack was sustained and that while the physical injuries may heal, she is concerned about the psychological and emotional impact on the paramedic and others involved.

SDLP MLA Sinéad McLaughlin said she was appalled by the attack on a woman she knows personally and described the injuries as serious. She said it was disgraceful that someone who has devoted her working life to caring for others should be subjected to such violence.

Sinn Féin MLA Ciara Ferguson said reports of the attack were deeply disturbing. She said health service workers go beyond to save lives and keep people safe, often in challenging circumstances, and that there must be zero tolerance of attacks or abuse against health and social care workers. They should never face abuse, attack, intimidation or threats in the workplace, she added.

UUP Alderman Darren Guy described the attack as disgusting. He said a woman who has given 37 years of service to NIAS should never have faced such an attack from a patient she was assisting. He said his thoughts were with her and her colleague, and that paramedics deal with horrendous scenes but should never have to deal with a directed attack.

The incident has prompted calls for zero tolerance of attacks on health workers.