Emergency service call handlers have spoken out about a horrifying wave of racist abuse, death threats, and harassment they face daily while trying to save lives. The London Ambulance Service (LAS) has released shocking examples of the vitriol directed at its 999 and 111 responders, alongside stark new figures highlighting the scale of the crisis.
A Torrent of Abuse Facing Lifesavers
Recent data reveals that a staggering 54 per cent of 999 call handlers and 48 per cent of 111 health advisors experienced harassment, threats, or verbal abuse in the past year. Disturbingly, a quarter of all control room staff also reported enduring unwanted sexual behaviour from members of the public.
In one chilling 111 call released by the service, a caller menacingly told a handler: ‘Don’t get me mad… If I come there I will kill you.’ Emergency call co-ordinator Jude Rodman-Cole described the profound impact such abuse has on teams. "I’ve heard all sorts of disgusting abuse in the past few weeks alone," he said.
Rodman-Cole shared specific, harrowing examples: "One member of the team was told, ‘I hope your parents die’ around the anniversary of her mother’s death. Women are told they are ‘a jezebel’ or ‘dumb’, and colleagues with an accent are told to ‘go back home’."
The Human Cost of Unacceptable Aggression
The abuse has tangible consequences for staff welfare and London's emergency response. "We see sickness due to stress and anxiety, and abusive calls are definitely a big cause of that," Rodman-Cole explained. "It’s so frustrating as we are just trying to help people. It affects our ability to help the rest of London."
Lykeisha Brown-Flynn, a 111 health advisor based in Croydon, said abuse often escalates when she has to inform patients an ambulance is not required. "Recently, a patient was not happy with the outcome of an assessment and became racially abusive," she recounted. "It made me sad that I was trying to help someone who could speak to me in such a derogatory way... We are all human and there should be no place for racism in today’s society."
Despite a persistent problem for years, abuse saw a worrying five per cent spike in 2024, pushing the total number of LAS staff experiencing abuse to over a third (34 per cent). Alarmingly, one in five of those abused faced it on more than ten separate occasions.
Campaign for Change and Zero Tolerance
In response, the LAS has launched a new campaign titled ‘All we want for Christmas is… RESPECT’, urging the public to consider their words. Laurence Cowderoy, Deputy Director of 999 Operations, issued a firm statement: "We will not tolerate abuse against our staff. Every minute our call handlers spend dealing with aggression, racism, or death threats is time taken away from patients with life-threatening problems who urgently need our help."
The LAS was the first UK ambulance service to establish a Violence Reduction Unit, supporting staff to report crimes and working with police to pursue offenders. The message from the frontline is clear: abuse directed at those trying to provide critical help is unacceptable and ultimately endangers the wider public by diverting vital resources.
