A West Midlands paramedic who was stabbed by a patient has welcomed a trial of protective vests for ambulance staff. Deena Evans was attacked alongside a colleague in Wolverhampton in July 2020 and said the incident still gives her nightmares.
Ms Evans said that if they had been wearing stab vests at the time, 'they would have protected us and I wouldn't have these massive scars all over me'. The trial, involving 22 workers based in Willenhall and Walsall, is set to take place this autumn, according to West Midlands Ambulance Service.
Ms Evans was injured while carrying out a welfare check on a man in his 50s who was carrying two knives. She initially did not realise she had been stabbed, recalling: 'I remember taking a step backwards and thinking my uniform is really wet. I had gloves on and as I sort of patted myself down, I looked at my gloves and I realised I am bleeding from somewhere.'
The attacker admitted two counts of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and was jailed for nine years in July, with an additional five years on licence. The ambulance service said staff had previously voted against introducing body armour, but Ms Evans noted that change often only occurs after incidents involving patients, not staff.
She expressed hope that the trial would lead to positive change, stating: 'If it is successful, which I'm hoping it will be, we will have those stab vests, we will have that protection, we will have those stab vests not just for me, for everybody. And if those stab vests prevent one more person from being stabbed again then we've done our job.'
