A PARAMEDIC'S wrist was broken by a patient while out on duty for West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The sickening attack saw a man assault the paramedic in the West Midlands at 9am yesterday morning.

Staff were called to attend to the man, in his 20s, who was unconscious in Hagley Road, Birmingham. He was treated by paramedics but when he went into the ambulance, the man attacked her.

A colleague of the woman also suffered knee and back injuries, and police arrested the man.

Angered colleagues of the paramedic have tweeted about their shock at the incident, with a picture being tweeted of the fractured wrist in a cast.

The incident follows a Worcester News story earlier this week in which Paramedic Mike Duggan, who runs the CCTU each weekend, spoke out against the violence aimed at WMAS staff, and warned the number of attacks was on the increase.

Mr Duggan said: “It is disgusting that any ambulance staff, who come to work purely to help people, are subjected to this level of abuse and violence.

"Despite this, we turn up for duty each shift and continue to provide a first class service to people in their hour of need."

Commenting on the latest incident 999 dispatcher Jo Bird tweeted: "Oh my actual days - when is this going to end? #notacceptable #stopabusingourstaff #usedontabuse."

An ambulance dispatcher, Lucy Parrott, who tweeted the picture of the fractured wrist, said: "My mate Amy's broken wrist.

"This is from an assault by a patient this morning.

"Not only can she not work and treat patients, she can't give her voluntary time she gives to charity, and will have it like this in her holiday."

Steve Dickson, from WMAS, added: "Too much of this going on just lately. What's wrong with society?"

A spokesman said ambulance staff who later took the man to hospital showed great professionalism, despite their frustrations at the attack on their colleagues.

The spokesman said: "We are now getting four or five incidents like this across the region every week.

"CCTV is installed in ambulances which helps - people should know if they attack ambulance staff they will be prosecuted.

"But there is just sadness among staff at the number of incidents."