Attacks on Scotland EMS Workers Rise Despite New Law

THE bruised bite mark on John Pettigrew's forearm is a painful reminder of the ingratitude of some of the people he helps.

A paramedic in north Edinburgh, Mr Pettigrew is one of the hundreds of emergency service workers who are assaulted each year. Attacks and assaults, physical and verbal, on paramedics, firefighters, and nurses are now commonplace in Scotland.

New figures released yesterday showed that more than 250 ambulance staff were assaulted last year. A further 66 cases were recorded in the first quarter of 2006, suggesting that, despite the introduction of the Emergency Workers Act last May, the violent trend is continuing unabated.

Even though the new piece of legislation makes it a specific offence to assault someone providing emergency services, there were just 92 charges brought under the act in its first six months. During the same period, hundreds of paramedics, firefighters, and nurses were attacked.

In five instances, paramedics were the subject of aggravated assaults with intent to kill with a firearm or knife, and in another 20 incidents they were threatened with a knife or bottle. Against that backdrop, Mr Pettigrew's bite may seem relatively trivial, but it is nonetheless indicative of the disrespect many now show towards emergency workers.

Recalling the incident, he said: "It was a fairly innocent call. When I went into the house, the lady had taken alcohol and possibly drugs. She just kicked off, slapping and punching and kicking. When I tried to hold her arms, she bit me on the forearm, which meant I had to spend the afternoon in hospital having tests."

Nor are incidents restricted to Scotland's cities. Peter Stewart has served the Borders for 20 years, but one recent callout had chilling consequences.

"Aman was rolling around the floor and when we tried to examine him, he became abusive and aggressive, so we had to restrain him for 10 minutes until the police arrived, " he said.

Two days later, the crew were called back to the same address. "There was a jerry can at the entrance and liquid spilled, " said Mr Stewart. "My fear was that it was petrol and someone was going to ignite it."

The liquid turned out to be diesel, but the fact that paramedics are having to consider possible ambushes says everything about the way they now have to fear sections of the public. They are not alone.

Just days ago, it was revealed that record numbers of firefighters across Scotland are unable to work because they are suffering from stress-related disorders. Psychological illness was responsible for the loss of 6556 working days in the Strathclyde area alone last year, a fourfold increase since 2002.

The major contributory factor, according to Brian Sweeney, chief officer for Strathclyde, is the increase in violent attacks on fire crews. He said the rise in absences almost mirrored the rise in attacks and warned there was a disturbing upward trend of gangs luring firefighters into a "planned ambush".

Firefighters, who a generation ago were respected, even idolised, by children, are now often subjected to the most vicious assaults. In some areas of Glasgow, crews require a police escort when attending calls, and one firefighter has required surgery after being shot in the head with an airgun pellet.

In another incident in the Springburn area of the city, a firefighter had a knife held to his throat and spitting, swearing, and verbal insults are now everyday occurrences.

While the majority of incidents have occurred in deprived inner city areas, crews have also been attacked in affluent suburbs such as Newton Mearns and Bearsden on the outskirts.

The culprits are not all disaffected young teenage males: people in their thirties have been convicted of attacking firefighters in recent years.

But it is not just those who respond to 999 calls who are victims of the rising tide of violence. Nurses are also suffering, and in substantial numbers. Almost half of all nurses in the country were assaulted or harassed by patients or their relatives last year, making Scotland the worst part of the UK for abuse of nurses.