A Glasgow ambulance worker faced threats as staff endure daily public assaults
Glasgow: An ambulance call handler had a pretty scary experience recently. Declan Cowan, who works at the West Ambulance Control Centre, got threatened by a caller who was really upset.
He was just doing his job, trying to help, when the caller got angry after being told they didn’t need an ambulance. The guy started shouting and even said he would “find” Declan. Can you imagine how unsettling that must have been?
Sadly, this isn’t an isolated incident. The Scottish Ambulance Service has reported that their staff face verbal or physical abuse almost every day. In fact, there was an 11% rise in such incidents this year, with 346 cases reported.
Things like spitting, punching, and even threats with weapons have become more common. Verbal abuse has shot up by 30%, which is just awful. Declan shared his experience with Glasgow Live, and it really highlights how tough things are for these workers.
He mentioned that it was a hectic day, and he was handling a lot of calls. When he told the caller to reach out to their GP instead of sending an ambulance, the response was anything but pleasant. The caller hurled insults and made threats, which left Declan feeling scared and upset.
The Scottish Ambulance Service is taking this seriously. Their Chief Executive, Michael Dickson, stated that no form of abuse will be tolerated. He emphasized that staff should be able to do their jobs without fear of being attacked.
It’s important to remember that calling 999 can be stressful, but there’s no excuse for abusing the people who are trying to help. The impact of such assaults can be long-lasting, and some staff even leave the service because of it. They’re working with Police Scotland to tackle this issue and hold offenders accountable.
It’s a tough situation, and we really need to support our emergency service workers. They’re out there saving lives and deserve our respect.
