London Ambulance Service logs 462 sexual abuse cases, staff call for action
Nearly one in three call handlers and about two‑thirds of female ambulance crew say they have faced harassment or assault in the past year
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Multiple named LAS officials, data, and two independent outlets provide corroborated evidence, raising trust to 76.
Higher is stronger
Quotes, figures, context and next steps present a clear story despite press‑release tone, scoring 80.
Higher is stronger
Strong language used but aligns with facts; moderate sensationalism yields a 32 score.
Lower is better
London Ambulance Service (LAS) announced that staff recorded 462 cases of sexual abuse over the 12‑month period ending July 2026. The figure includes threats, indecent exposure, unwanted touching and verbal abuse. The service said the data came from internal reporting and the NHS Staff Survey.
Scale of reported abuse
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The LAS chief executive, Jason Killens, told the BBC that roughly one in three emergency call handlers have faced sexual harassment while on duty. He added that around two‑thirds of women working on ambulances said they had encountered unwanted sexual behaviour from patients, relatives or members of the public in the past year.
Impact on crews and call handlers
Paramedic Gosha Graf described an incident in which a patient grabbed her while she was assessing his condition and then refused further treatment. She later discovered the same patient had assaulted another paramedic earlier that day. Graf said the experience left her questioning why staff must endure such conduct.
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I was trying to help him when he grabbed me and I remember thinking, 'Why does anyone have to put up with this just for doing their job?'
Gosha Graf, paramedic
Legal action and respect campaign
The patient involved in Graf’s case was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison in March 2026 after being convicted of sexual assault, the Standard reported. LAS has launched the "We show up. Show some respect" campaign, using CCTV and body‑worn footage to illustrate the abuse crews face. Killens warned that such behaviour can pull crews off the road and delay assistance to other patients.
Chief paramedic Pauline Cranmer told the BBC that the abuse represents a "shocking betrayal" of the service’s purpose. She said LAS will not tolerate offenders and urged staff to report incidents promptly, noting that police testimony can help secure convictions.
What happens next
LAS said it will continue to collect data, expand the respect campaign and work with police to ensure swift prosecution. The service also plans to review training for crews and call handlers on how to de‑escalate and document abusive encounters. Staff are encouraged to use the new reporting portal and to contact the LAS safeguarding team for support.
Questions this report answers
+How many sexual‑abuse incidents were reported by ambulance staff?
London Ambulance Service recorded 462 incidents of sexual abuse between July 2025 and July 2026. The figure comes from internal reporting and the NHS Staff Survey, showing a high level of abuse faced by crews during that period.
+What proportion of emergency call handlers have experienced harassment?
Roughly one in three emergency call handlers reported experiencing sexual harassment, according to statements by LAS chief executive Jason Killens as reported by the BBC. This indicates a significant share of staff dealing with abusive behaviour.
+What sentence did the patient who assaulted paramedic Gosha Graf receive?
The patient who groped paramedic Gosha Graf was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison in March 2026 after being convicted of sexual assault. The conviction was confirmed by both the BBC and The Standard.
+What steps is LAS taking to address the abuse?
LAS has launched the "We show up. Show some respect" campaign, expanded reporting tools, and pledged to work with police for faster prosecutions. The service also plans to review training and provide additional support for staff who report incidents.
News London Desk
This article was written at the News London news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
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