Ambulance crews deserve protecting from attack, says GMB after Inverness driver unfairly dismissed
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The unfair dismissal of Inverness ambulance driver exposes the wider failure to properly protect emergency crews from verbal abuse and violence, according to a trade union boss.
Mark Harvie was sacked by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) after acting in self defence when threatened by a drunk man outside Raigmore Hospital.
An employment tribunal later found Mr Harvie (61) – who had 29 years' unblemished service – had been unfairly dismissed and that the SAS was in breach of contract in dismissing him without notice. It also found the service had failed to make reasonable adjustment for his dyslexia.
The GMB, the biggest union in the SAS, says it wants crews to receive specialist training in handling volatile and violent situations as figures reveal hundreds of paramedics have been attacked in recent years.
GMB Scotland organiser Karen Leonard said: "Our members in the ambulance service report for work with no idea where they will be sent and are often called to fraught and potentially violent situations.
"They deserve specialist training in how to handle those situations and every possible support from both managers at the Scottish Ambulance Service and the other emergency services."
According to Freedom of Information requests from GMB Scotland, there were 773 attacks formally reported on crew members from 2017/18 to 2021/22 They included 16 sexual assaults.
Last year, 160 assaults were recorded on SAS staff – a five year high.
But Ms Leonard said the figures were only the tip of the iceberg and many more incidents went unreported.
She said, after the circumstances of the incident at Raigmore became clear, the SAS should not have been asking if Mark Harvie should be dismissed but why his attacker had not been charged.
"Our members go into our communities to save lives yet are being attacked and abused," she said.
"No one should have to put up with that for simply doing their job, least of all those who are there to protect us.
"Offenders should be dealt with effectively and there must be every possible support for those subjected to violence.
"That clearly did not happen in Inverness and those in authority should be asking why.
"As a society, we must make absolutely clear that these attacks are beyond the pale and will not be accepted."
The Scottish Ambulance Service has been contacted for comment.
