UPDATED: Paramedic stabbed with screwdriver by patient he was transporting to Stoke Mandeville Hospital

A member of a private provider ambulance crew who was responding to an emergency call on behalf of South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) was stabbed by the patient he was helping.

At 5.48am the police were called to Old Stoke Road after a call from South Central Ambulance Service stating a paramedic had been injured.

The ambulance service had earlier answered an emergency call from a member of the public who said he was suffering from symptoms of a stroke.

The man was located at a telephone kiosk in Old Stoke Road and was en route to hospital by ambulance when the man stabbed one of the ambulance staff in the abdomen with what appeared to be a screwdriver.

The victim, a man in his thirties, was treated by his colleague and then taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

A 43 year old man from Aylesbury was arrested on suspicion of GBH and is currently in custody.

A spokesman for South Central said: “This unprovoked and violent assault occurred as the patient was being transported to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in the ambulance. The crew member was stabbed with a screwdriver and received a serious, though not life-threatening injury.”

Mark Ainsworth, Director of Operations at SCAS, said: “It is completely unacceptable that a dedicated healthcare professional has been attacked in this way and my thoughts along with everyone’s at SCAS are with the crew member at this time.

“Thanks to the quick response to this incident from the second crew member on the ambulance involved, team members at SCAS who raced to the scene and staff at Stoke Mandeville Hospital who came to his aid along with Thames Valley Police, a more serious outcome was averted and the perpetrator arrested at the scene.

“SCAS and Jigsaw Medical are now working closely with Thames Valley Police to ensure that the person responsible is prosecuted.”

Det Con Ben Giddings of Aylesbury Police Force CID said: “This was a completely unprovoked attack on a paramedic, who was just doing his job, trying to save the life of a member of the public.

“It is fortunate that while the victim’s injuries are serious they are not thought to be life-threatening. However this case does highlight the dangers that the emergency services face every day simply carrying out their work.”

Anyone with any information about this incident who has not yet contacted police is asked to call 101.