Paramedic sexually assaulted by patient jailed for 18 weeks

London paramedic Gosha Graf was sexually assaulted by a patient she was attempting to treat. The patient had also sexually assaulted another paramedic earlier on the same day. The man received an 18-week prison sentence for sexual assault in March of this year.

Ms Graf was caring for the patient when he groped her and subsequently refused further treatment. Upon reviewing his notes, she discovered he had committed a similar assault on another paramedic that day after also declining care.

Ms Graf stated that she encounters sexist or sexualised comments almost daily while on duty. The London Ambulance Service (LAS) recorded 462 incidents of sexual abuse against its staff between July 2025 and July 2026. These incidents encompassed sexual threats, groping, indecent exposure, explicit remarks, and sexual violence.

Nearly a third of these reports originated from call handlers who experienced abuse over the phone while assisting patients. Jason Killens, chief executive of the LAS, appealed for greater respect from the public. He highlighted that such behaviour disrupts emergency care, can remove ambulance crews from duty, and potentially delay assistance to other patients.

Campaign Launched Amidst Rising Abuse Figures

The LAS has initiated a new campaign titled ‘We show up. Show some respect.’ This campaign aims to address the significant scale of sexual abuse faced by ambulance workers. A video released as part of the campaign utilises footage from ambulance CCTV and body-worn cameras to illustrate the sexualised comments and inappropriate touching staff endure.

Pauline Cranmer, chief paramedic at LAS, reported that a colleague reports abuse of this nature daily, acknowledging that these figures likely underestimate the true extent of the problem. The NHS Staff Survey indicates that almost two-thirds of women working on ambulances experienced unwanted sexual behaviour from patients, service users, relatives, or the public in the preceding 12 months. More than one in five frontline ambulance colleagues who reported unwanted sexual behaviour in the NHS Staff Survey indicated it occurred at least three times during the year.

The LAS has established a dedicated Violence Reduction Unit, the first of its kind among UK ambulance trusts. This unit provides support to staff from the initial incident report, aids in evidence gathering, and collaborates with the police and prosecutors throughout case progression. Ambulances are equipped with CCTV and audio recording equipment, and crews can utilise body-worn cameras to assist in evidence collection. The service also reviews incident reports to identify patterns and repeat offenders, using this data to enhance prevention strategies and support mechanisms.

Call for Stronger Justice System Response

The LAS is urging the police and the broader criminal justice system to apply the full extent of the law when ambulance staff are targeted. The service stated that it will not accept, excuse, or allow offenders to believe they can target staff without consequence. Where a crime has been committed, the LAS commits to working with the police and pursuing prosecution.