// BBC HEALTH NEWS — SALUTE
Female paramedic sustains multiple injuries in hospital assault
The serious assault happened at Altnagelvin Hospital on Saturday evening
A female paramedic has been seriously assaulted at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry while responding to someone in need of medical assistance.
Police said the attack happened at about 17:45 GMT on Saturday and a suspect has been identified.
The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said the paramedic sustained injuries to the back of her head, neck, face and hands during the attack. They said she is also believed "to have suffered concussion".
They added that the incident happened after the NIAS received a call to provide medical assistance to a male patient who was being transported by ambulance to the hospital, following initial treatment.
The NIAS said the "attack lasted a number of minutes".
"On arrival at the hospital, and while being transferred from the stretcher to the chair, the patient delivered a punch to the face of one of the paramedics who was helping him".
"The force of the blow knocked her down and knocked her glasses off her face," they said.
"The other paramedic tried as best she could to intervene but couldn't get into a proper position to help, after the assailant also attempted to punch her.
"He then turned his attention back to the first paramedic and started a sustained attack on her as she lay helpless."