MOST emergency calls end in an “adverse clinical event” due to delays in responding and hospital pressures, ambulance workers in Scotland warned today.
A Unite poll of Scottish Ambulance Service staff found that an alarming 53 per cent of calls were affected.
Eighty-five per cent of those surveyed said that they had been the victim of some form of abuse at work, while two-thirds said they had considered leaving the organisation.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The situation facing Scottish Ambulance Service workers continues to be extremely alarming and depressing. The fact that hundreds of workers have suffered abuse while providing an emergency service is shocking.
“Our members are entitled to a safe and secure working environment and measures need to be taken to address chronic levels of abuse, [low] morale and stress.”
Unite Scotland said its survey of more than 300 members confirmed that the ambulance workers continue to face a number of unprecedented challenges, including long shifts, low morale and high levels of abuse and stress.
One in two received verbal abuse and 21 per cent physical abuse, while 9 per cent suffered sex or gender-based attacks (physical or verbal) and 6 per cent suffered religious or racial attacks (physical or verbal).
Only one in six said that they had not suffered any form of abuse.
More than seven in 10 strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that stress at work was having an impact on their personal lives.
Two-thirds strongly agreed or somewhat agreed that stress at work was affecting their performance in the job.
Unite Scottish secretary Derek Thomson said: “Unite’s members at the Scottish Ambulance Service face unacceptable and unprecedented challenges.
“Not only is this situation having a major impact on their working lives but it is also taking a toll in their personal lives.
“Our members are taking the job home, often because they have been left physically and mentally scarred by abuse while trying to save lives.
“Unite is calling on the health authorities and the Scottish government to work with us to address these serious concerns. We need to bring forward measures which can help retain and recruit staff to the service or we fear dedicated professionals will simply leave.”
The Scottish government and the ambulance service were contacted for comment.
