Shocking rise in abuse of ambulance crews

AMBULANCE workers were subjected to abuse, including verbal and physical attacks, almost 300 times last year.

Health staff have been sexually assaulted, spat on, kicked, punched, had doors slammed into them and been threatened with weapons, including knives and bottles.

The most shocking incidents saw attackers attempt to kill the very people sent to help them.

A paramedic for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS), who asked to remain anonymous, claimed they had been assaulted countless times. On one occasion, they were held at knifepoint.

The worker said: ‘Everyone knows about emergency department wait times and staff shortages, but fewer recognise the frequency and severity of assaults.

‘Unlike other professions, I don’t come to my work expecting to meet resistance or be on my guard with every call I attend.’

Figures provided by the SAS show that between 2016 and 2021, staff reported 1,746 incidents of abuse, including 298 last year. During that time there were 15 occasions when attackers were said to have tried to kill staff with the use of weapons.

Ambulance staff were also subjected to hate crimes on the basis of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender.

Staff were sexually assaulted on 12 occasions. There were also 711 incidents when unruly members of the public used ‘insulting words’ or another form of ‘provocation’.

Scottish Tory health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane accused the Health Secretary of failing to act. He said: ‘Blue-light workers who safeguard the rest of us should never feel under threat. People may be frustrated that the system is letting them down, but that should never be directed at dedicated staff.

‘It is Humza Yousaf’s lack of action and SNP mismanagement that has created this ongoing crisis, which is now endangering frontline workers.’

SAS staff are trained to deal with violent situations, but are not equipped with stab vests and body-worn cameras, even though these safeguards are in place within other UK ambulance services.

An SAS spokesman said: ‘We have a range of measures designed to ensure our crews are protected – staff are trained in managing aggression and assessing risk, for example, enabling them to judge when they need to wait for support from the police or additional ambulance crews.’

Mr Yousaf said: ‘No one should face any kind of threat, abuse, harassment or racism – least of all our heroic paramedic staff.’