Protection for emergency workers

Emergency workers have additional legal protection from assault. In Scotland, the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 makes it a specific offence to assault, obstruct or hinder someone providing an emergency service or someone assisting an emergency worker in an emergency situation. In 2008, the law was extended to include protection for GPs, nurses and midwives working in the community.

The Emergency Workers (Obstruction) Act 2006 applies to England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Under the Act, it is an offence to “obstruct or hinder” emergency workers responding to “blue light” situations. The Act defines emergency workers as firefighters, ambulance workers and those transporting blood, organs or equipment on behalf of the NHS, coastguards and lifeboat crews. (The police have their own obstruction offence in the Police Act 1996).

The Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018, which came into effect following union campaigning in November 2018, makes it a specific offence to assault emergency workers including police and prison officers, firefighters and NHS staff providing services to the public. The Act doubled the maximum prison sentence for the offence of assault or battery against an emergency worker from six months to a year and judges must now also consider higher sentences for a range of other offences including grievous bodily harm (GBH) and sexual harassment.