Violence against staff is on the rise, Association of Ambulance Chief Executives figures show.

Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive, NHS Providers, said:

"Ambulance and NHS staff, doing their best for patients, must be able to go about their often life-saving work without fear of attack.

"Staff safety is a top priority for NHS trust leaders. There must be zero tolerance for any violence or aggression against NHS workers.

"It’s intolerable that ambulance staff – nowadays given body-worn cameras in an effort to reduce attacks - are assaulted or intimidated when trying to treat people, often in life-threatening situations, or get them to hospital as quickly as possible, putting them and patients at risk.

"It’s a real concern that many assaults go unreported and that female ambulance workers are at particular risk."