Scottish Ambulance Service Staff Face Daily Violence and Abuse

Staff at the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) continue to face unacceptable levels of violence and verbal abuse, with new concerning figures revealing that every day a staff member is assaulted or abused.

In the year 2024/2025, 369 SAS staff were physically assaulted or verbally abused, an increase of 11% compared to 2023/2024.

Nearly 200 staff members were physically hurt while on shift and with the majority of incidents happening in the East and West of the country.

These include staff being spat on, kicked, punched and threatened with weapons.

Drew Dodd, Paramedic of Chirnside in the Borders, spoke of an incident while attending a call in Edinburgh.

He said: “We were dispatched to an intoxicated male who had fallen and sustained a head injury. Initially, he was pleasant and cooperative. We advised him due to the head injury and level of intoxication he should attend hospital. Enroute, the patient suddenly stood up while the vehicle was moving.

“I asked him to sit back down for safety. His demeanour changed rapidly, so I took my radio and initiated an urgent call, anticipating police assistance might be required. As soon as I pressed the button, he punched me in the face, knocking the radio across the vehicle. He then struck me a second time, causing me to fall to the floor. He proceeded to hit me a further three times.”

Drew said for his own safety he had to restrain him whilst his colleague activated the panic alarm and until police arrived.

Gillian Sommerville, Technician at Leven Station, Fife, said she was with her work partner on a nightshift when they received a call at 2am to attend an unconscious male.

She said: “When we arrived, there were also three other males in their mid-teens who appeared to be under the influence of unknown alcohol or drugs and were confrontational. Due to the freezing temperatures, we quickly lifted the patient in the vehicle. The three friends then started shouting and banging on the ambulance and rocking the vehicle.

“Minutes later, the back door and side door were opened and two of the friends jumped in shouting at us. I was wedged at the top of the trolley as the third friend tried to grab me through the window. I tried to continually push him off. My partner was stuck between two of the friends near the back of the vehicle and they were shouting in her face.”

Gillian said as the patient woke up, his friends tried to drag him off the trolley. She then phoned for urgent police assistance. Gillian, who suffered an injury to her arm and spent several months undergoing physiotherapy, said three of the men were arrested and the patient subsequently assaulted a police officer while in hospital.

SAS Chief Executive Michael Dickson said: “The fact that our staff face daily violence, verbal abuse or aggression is completely unacceptable.

“These incidents can have a significant and lasting impact on our people, sometimes even leading them to leave the ambulance service.

“They have the right to carry out their work helping patients and saving lives without fear of assault or abuse and we will continue to work with Police Scotland, like we have done on this occasion, to take action against perpetrators.”