The call came after Health Minister Ben Bradshaw indicated ambulance staff can have the body armour if health trusts deem it necessary but said there had been no requests for funding.

The Association of Professional Ambulance Personnel, which has been fighting for the introduction of vests for 10 years, have now written to all trusts asking for action.

They say rising knife and gun crime is increasing the risk of serious injury to the medics who respond to casualties. Recent figures show there were 1,006 physical assaults against ambulance staff in England for the year 2006/7.

Currently only trusts in London, Essex and Dorset issue staff with the stab vests.

The union is now appealing to the other trusts to follow suit after Mr Bradshaw made his comments in response to a parliamentary question by MP Mark Pritchard last month.

Matt Whitticombe, APAP's North West Regional Secretary said: "While many of our highly trained and dedicated staff at the cutting edge of the NHS face the threat of physical assault on a regular basis without this protection, our desk-bound administrators continue to prevaricate over the merits of body armour and so the dangers persist."

"We have written to the ten ambulance trusts which have yet to follow London Ambulance's example, citing Mr Bradshaw's response as a recipe for change to the status quo.

"Body armour is part of a package of safe systems, conflict resolution strategies and personal protective equipment necessary to ensure a safer working environment for those who dedicate their working lives to the care of others."

Mr Whitticombe said it would only cost about £3 million to provide 20,000 vests which would kit out all ambulance staff across the country.