Mercy crews under attack
HUNDREDS of ambulance staff working on the frontline in Glasgow have been attacked and assaulted while on duty.
In some cases, staff have been stabbed, held hostage and had dogs set on them when trying to give people vital medical help.
New figures show paramedics responding to 999 calls have been physically and verbally assaulted more than 450 times since 2011.
Glasgow’s frontline responders have officially reported 275 physical attacks, and 178 verbal attacks against them in the last five years.
However, staff say the number of incidents recorded is not a true reflection of the reality and they face abuse on a daily basis.
According to staff the amount of time it takes to record assaults often outweighs the benefits, and many don’t officially report incidents as they feel as if nothing is achieved by doing so.
Jamie McNamee, trade union Unison’s ambulance service National Lead for Scotland, and a paramedic, has been subjected to attacks on a number of occasions.
Once he was held against his will and police had to break into the house to help after almost an hour.
He said: “I have been attacked many times – kicked, punched, spat on.
“I attended a call in a high rise, but the call was not as described and some people in the house were unhappy that a person was not being taken to hospital.
“They did not wish to attend, nor did they require to attend but a relative was trying to force the issue.
“This led to verbal and physical abuse and they said ‘If she’s not leaving then neither are you’.”
The door was locked and Jamie was battered by those inside the flat, while one of the residents climbed into the ambulance outside.
Jamie said: “In the meantime the ring leader had slipped out and was sitting in the ambulance abusing staff via the radio whilst having a smoke.
“I managed to secure a prosecution though.”
A paramedic,who has worked in the service for more than 20 years, was stabbed with a dirty needle while on duty.
He said: “I was in the back of an ambulance, I had just brought him back and given him the right drugs to help him, he took an exception to it and stabbed me.
“He was HIV positive and Hep C positive, I had to have a year of tests because of it.”
Another long-serving paramedic said: “In 27 years, maybe about six or seven times I’ve had a fist flung at me.
“I’ve been assaulted twice with dogs as well – once was the dog’s fault, the second time was the owner’s fault. They set the dog on me. They didn’t want me to come in and they just sent it after me.
“Another time my partner was attacked in the back of the ambulance, we had to stop and get the police.”
Not only are attacks physical, but some staff have been subjected to racist abuse and dozens of staff say they are sworn at on a daily basis while trying to do their jobs.
Daniel Rankin, general manager of the West Central Division at the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “Assaults of any kind on ambulance staff are totally unacceptable.
“Our staff deserve respect for the difficult and challenging job they do, delivering care 24/7 often in very difficult situations.
“They should not have to fear for their safety when responding to a call for help, yet ambulance teams are subjected to verbal and physical abuse from the public on an almost daily basis while trying to help people. In the majority of these cases alcohol is a key factor.
“Assaults or threatening behaviour are reported to the police and staff have access to support and counselling services.”