One in four paramedics attacked as they work

AMBULANCE workers are suffering ‘shocking’ levels of violence as they try to save lives, with one in four paramedics physically attacked in the last 12 months while treating patients.

Staff have been punched, kicked and threatened with bottles and knives.

Patients and attackers have even tried to kill them as they try to help.

There are now hundreds of postcodes with ‘dangerous addresses’, many of which they have to visit with police escorts for fear of violence.

The latest NHS Scotland staff survey reveals 26 per cent of Scottish Ambulance Service workers have faced physical violence in the last year. More than two-thirds said they had been verbally attacked on jobs.

Ambulance crews across Scotland are called out to deal with drunken patients every 19 minutes on average. With Christmas approaching, there are fears the rate of drink and drug- fuelled attacks could rise, prompting calls for harsher punishments for attackers.

Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said: ‘The trend of paramedics being attacked while they attempt to go about their daily work is becoming alarming. To think so many have had a direct experience of this is shocking and unacceptable.

‘It’s particularly tasteless when you consider the attackers are often the very people they’re trying to help.

‘We need extremely strong punishment in the courts for this kind of behaviour – it’s the only thing that will state categorically that this will not be tolerated.’

The staff survey also found one in three doctors, nurses and NHS staff have been verbally abused at work.

One in 12 have been attacked – but for paramedics sent out to incidents, the rate more than triples. Only a third of ambulance staff reported an attack, with the survey showing many thought nothing would be done.

The review’s findings are backed up by the Scottish Ambulance Service, which recorded 185 assaults in 2013-14. These included six assaults with an ‘intent to kill’, where the attacker had a knife or gun.

There were 136 cases of paramedics being punched, kicked or spat on. They were sworn at, suffered death threats and menaced with knives and bottles.

David Forbes, of paramedics’ union Unison, said: ‘It is simply unacceptable that ambulance staff have to put up with either verbal or physical abuse but it is, I’m afraid, all too common.

‘I think Scotland needs to take a hard look at itself and ask why people whose only concern is our wellbeing should have to expect a one in four chance of being assaulted at their work.’

A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘Ambulance staff are subjected to verbal and physical abuse from the public on an almost daily basis while trying to help people and in the majority of these cases alcohol is a key factor. Assaults or threatening behaviour are reported to the police.’

However, the survey reveals the 55,000 staff who completed the poll – out of the NHS total of 150,000 in Scotland – are more positive in many cases than a year ago.

The results show 12 per cent more staff agreed the care of patients was their health board’s priority and 61 per cent said their’s was a good place to work.

Scottish Health Secretary Shona Robison said: ‘Clearly it is welcome that increasing numbers of staff find working for Scotland’s NHS a positive experience and there are definite indications that we are moving in the right direction.’

‘It is shocking and unacceptable’