Attacks force paramedics to blacklist 54 danger addresses

The Evening News has learned that there is a blacklist of 54 properties – understood to be made up of both residences and businesses – to which paramedics can only respond if they have a police escort.

The list is based on the recent experience of crews who have suffered violence or aggression while trying to help people in need at the "red-flagged" addresses. Much of the aggression is due to drinking, say crews who have had to face physical and verbal attacks.

Updated every six months, the list is designed to give Scottish Ambulance Service bosses a "live" impression of where in the Lothians is too dangerous to go without protection.

Unions and politicians said the fact the list even existed painted a grim picture of what many paramedics faced, but praised the service for putting safeguards in place.

Livingston MSP Angela Constance spent a weekend night with an ambulance crew in West Lothian earlier this year and has seen for herself much of what crews are up against.

"Some people just don't know how to behave and paramedics really do have the patience and professionalism of saints, and perhaps we should do more to recognise this," she said.

"I think it's a rather startling figure that should be of concern to us all. Paramedics are doing their jobs, trying to save lives and get people the emergency treatment they need, and it's outrageous that they should be subjected to any sort of violence, intimidation or abuse. I'm glad that the ambulance service are putting in place the best measures they can to protect their workers."

Although the reported number of incidents has gone down in recent years, there is still a significant risk to paramedics attending incidents, particularly in notorious areas.

Unions also say many staff do not bother reporting assaults or intimidation, so keen are they to get the job done quickly and move on.

The Evening News revealed earlier this year that virtually every call received at the weekend is in some way related to alcohol.

In one high-profile case in Livingston recently, a female paramedic had her jaw broken while working.

A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: "Violence and abuse towards our staff is unacceptable and we do everything we can to reduce that risk.

"Our staff do a fantastic job in responding to emergencies across the area and deserve to be able to do so without the threat of violence towards them."

'Booze is a factor every time we are threatened'

ONE city paramedic who has notched up nearly ten years of service has seen at close quarters the effects of violence.

He said most paramedics now accepted it as a risk of the job.

While he had not suffered any physical abuse, he had endured plenty of threats and seen others attacked.

He said alcohol was almost always the cause of the abuse.

"I'm quite a big guy and people generally wouldn't have a pop at me," he said.

"I think I've been present on three or four occasions when a colleague has been assaulted, but they've all fought it off and got on with the job.

"But I've heard stories of others in the service who it's really affected.

"I honestly can't think of a time when we've been given abuse or threatened when booze wasn't a factor."

He added that colleagues did not lose sleep over the issue.

"We can't waste time worrying about it. Our job is to save lives and that's why we do this."

Your Say: Should aggressive people receive treatment from ambulance crews?

George Fraser, 66, retired delivery driver, Gracemount Avenue: "If the patient's being aggressive, they should get a taxi to hospital and pay for it themselves – make your own way."

Margaret Macdonald, 78, retired finance assistant, Baberton Mains Place: "It would depend. Sometimes when people are hurt, they don't behave rationally."

• www.scottishambulance.com