A shocking incident has left a Victorian paramedic and soon-to-be mother nervous to return to work.

A pregnant Victorian paramedic was allegedly punched repeatedly by a woman she was trying to save from a drug overdose.

The alleged incident has drawn outrage from the emergency service, who say a “persistent pattern of violence” directed towards paramedics is beginning to fester.

According to police, the paramedic was assaulted as she was tending to a patient at a hospital in Hedelberg on May 3.

“The woman was treating a female patient at a hospital on Studley Rd, where she was assaulted about 5pm,” a Victoria Police spokesman said.

“The victim, a 32-year-old Craigieburn woman, sustained minor injuries and was treated at the hospital. Police have identified a 40-year-old woman, sustained minor injuries and was treated at the hospital.”

Ambulance Victoria chief executive Jordan Emery said paramedics had his full support to withdraw from care if they face violence, are unsafe or their lives are in danger following multiple violent attacks across the state. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw
Union secretary Danny Hill told media the paramedic had literally just saved the patient’s life when she was allegedly attacked.

“While they were offloading the patient at the hospital they’ve lashed out, punched the paramedic in the head and in the stomach while she’s 12 weeks pregnant,” he alleged.

Mr Hill said the paramedic and her unborn child were unharmed, but the ordeal had left her unable to treat patients on-road.

“She’s made the decision to come off-road, which is really sad because she’s a dedicated paramedic and she wanted to work on-road for as long as she could, but she can’t risk placing her unborn child at the sort of risk that paramedics are facing every day,” he said.

“I think we’ll see a lot come off-road where previously they might have worked up much closer until the end of their pregnancy.”

Victorian paramedics Luke Harrington (centre) with Andrew Burns, Kate Sedgwick, Ben Quit, Alison Schwiekert, Vanessa Gorman and Katrina Sedgwick raised concerns about the rise in assaults on officers last year. Picture: NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw
Ambulance Victoria chief executive Jordan Emery vowed paramedics would withdraw from care if they faced violence, were unsafe, or their lives were in danger.

Mr Emery said staff had his full support to leave the scene and wait for police to keep themselves safe.

He said there were 1000 reported attacks against paramedics last year, with several incidents occurring within the past two weeks, after an officer was stabbed in the face and neck.

“Yet another paramedic has been assaulted, a pregnant paramedic punched in the face and in the stomach while providing care to a patient here in Melbourne,” Mr Emery said.

“In fact, over the last week, one of my paramedics has been bitten, another one has been shoved, another paramedic has had scissors pulled on them.”

According to Ambulance Victoria chief executive Jordan Emery, there were 1000 reported attacks against paramedics in 2025. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui
Mr Emery said the spate of attacks reflected an appalling pattern of violence towards paramedics and first responders who provided care to Victorians in their time of need each and every day.

“If my people are not safe, we will withdraw care, it is the only safe option for my people,” he said.

“If their lives are in danger, we cannot help you or your loved ones, and we plead for Victorians to take action now and stop this appalling pattern of violence towards our people.”

He said the shocking levels of violence paramedics faced every day cut across every section of the community and was being perpetrated by people of all ages and genders across the state.

Victoria’s ambulance boss said paramedics were facing violence across the state from all sectors of the community. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui
“It is not just people in Melbourne. It is not just people affected by drugs and alcohol. It is right across the whole spectrum of society we continue to see shocking rates of violence,” he said.

“Violence against the people who are committed to caring for Victorians, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”

He said it was a profound betrayal of the people who devoted their lives to caring for others.

“My people have to show up at work each day when they are met with an appalling pattern of violence,” he said.

“But what I’ve made very clear from my first day in this role is, if it is not safe to enter, they have my full support to stand off and wait for police if in the delivery of care they become unsafe or their life is in danger.”