Thousands of addresses across Scotland, including hundreds in Argyll and the Highlands, have been declared “too dangerous for ambulance crews to attend without police back-up”, a report says.
Almost 4,500 properties across the country have been subjected to the Scottish Ambulance Service’s ‘red flag’ policy, the justice and social affairs publication 1919 Magazine reports.
Because of previous violent incidents at the home or business, paramedics are not permitted to enter unless officers are also present or a further risk assessment is carried out, even in the event of a medical emergency.
A Freedom of Information request by 1919 Magazine revealed that Edinburgh’s EH postcode, which also covers most of the Lothian region, has the most red-flagged addresses with 1,122 properties on the list.
In Greater Glasgow there are 885 addresses, with a further 532 across Ayrshire.
Renfrewshire and Argyll and Bute had 363, Inverness and the Highlands 251, Perthshire and west Highlands 83 and the Western Isles 16.
The database of 4,418 addresses constantly changes and is updated depending on new incidents and previous occupants of troublesome properties moving on, making historical comparisons difficult. However, in 2018, it was reported there were only around 2,500 such addresses.
Amid growing concerns about Police Scotland’s resourcing, the Scottish Police Federation warned it will be “physically impossible to go to everything” in the near future.
Brian Jones, vice chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said: “We fully understand why ambulance crews won’t go to places if they think they are going to be attacked.
“But the police are the service of last resort; we have no choice in the matter. In the near future there will come a point when a decision will have to be made about what we can’t go to, because it will be physically impossible to go to everything.
“These incidents show how society is changing and is just another thing which is placing a demand on resource policing when things are getting tighter.”
A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “Our staff should not fear for their safety when working and these measures have been put in place to help protect them while they do their job.
“Individual addresses where previous incidents have occurred are automatically flagged to our crews, allowing staff to undertake dynamic risk assessments or if required request additional support. It is not correct to say that individual addresses are too dangerous or ‘no-go areas’.
“Our staff are trained in assessing risk and managing aggression so they can make a sensible decision based on the circumstances. Getting to the sickest patients is always our priority.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Should any request for assistance be received from SAS with regard to attending addresses, we will respond as appropriate. We will continue to support our emergency service colleagues as required.”