Almost 100 paramedics were assaulted throughout Lanarkshire in the last three years.
A total of 97 assaults were recorded by the Scottish Ambulance Service from 2020 to 2022 and were revealed to Lanarkshire Live following a Freedom of Information request.
A total of 60 attacks were physical with another 37 classed as verbal.
A spokesman for the Scottish Ambulance Service said: “Our staff should not have to fear for their safety when treating patients and keeping them safe is of paramount importance to us.
“The service has a range of measures in place to help protect staff. Known or reported areas where staff have previously faced violence or threatening behaviour are taken into consideration and communicated to attending crews.
“Scottish Ambulance staff are also trained in managing aggression and assessing risk, enabling them to better judge when they need to wait for support from the police, or request additional service support.”
Lanarkshire politicians were quick to offer support to paramedics.
Labour’s Monica Lennon said: “No worker should ever have to put up with harassment and abuse. It’s not part of the job, and it’s particularly vile that emergency workers who save lives have been injured or attacked in the line of duty.
“The Scottish Ambulance staff working day and night to care for people in Lanarkshire should never have to question their safety at work. The number of recorded incidents of assault is alarming to me and I will be raising my concerns with the Scottish Government.
“Everything possible must be done to keep our health workers safe.”
SNP MSP Clare Adamson added: “No one should have to suffer harassment or abuse. It is appalling that emergency service workers - on the frontline and saving lives - are subjected to this disgusting treatment.
“Such incidents are already specifically criminalised in Scottish law and I support the strongest possible action against this behaviour.
“I previously highlighted concerns around under-reporting. Ambulance staff should be supported at every stage to report harassment or assault to the police to deal with these unacceptable incidents.”
And Meghan Gallacher, from the Scottish Conservatives, said: “Attacks on our dedicated ambulance crews in Lanarkshire and across Scotland are utterly deplorable.
“There must be a zero tolerance attitude towards those who think it is acceptable to act in this way.
“Frontline crews are beyond breaking point and it is disgraceful that they could face the threat of being attacked at their work on top of the pressures they face daily.
“I would urge SNP ministers to finally back Scottish Conservative plans to toughen prison sentences for those who attack our emergency workers.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson commented: “Assaults against emergency service workers are unacceptable under all circumstances and regrettably there are too many instances of this on a regular basis.
“Those caught must be dealt with in the strongest possible terms.
"The Emergency Workers Act enables penalties of up to 12 months imprisonment, a £10,000 fine, or both, to be imposed following conviction for offences against emergency service personnel, including ambulance staff.”
Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse SNP MSP Christina McKelvie added: "Our ambulance staff are the truest heroes. When life and death scenarios enter our lives, it is an undeniable privilege to know that the Scottish Ambulance Service will be on hand to provide essential emergency care in a compassionate way. For everyone in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, this is a source of great comfort.
“Our ambulance staff should never feel under threat, face any form of physical or verbal abuse, and I believe that these figures show that the majority people treat our heroes with the due respect that they deserve.
“However, for 97 verbal and physical assaults on ambulance staff to have occurred over the last three years in Lanarkshire is 97 too many. This is fundamentally unacceptable, and a sad reflection on those that would dare act in such a way.
“In the face of this adversity, our ambulance staff return to their green uniforms and attend harrowing incidents in our time of need. They deserve our unwavering support and admiration, and I want to take this opportunity to thank them for their selfless sacrifice and service.”
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