By Stephen Wilkie
The Express
LOTHIAN, Scotland — Ambulance crews have been banned from attending incidents at more than 100 addresses in a single health board area without a police escort.
The list was drawn up by Scottish Ambulance Service management after a string of incidents.
Staff have been ordered only to answer 999 calls to 118 addresses across the NHS Lothians area if they have a police back-up after complaints of violence against emergency workers.
Details of the list shocked Lothians Conservative MSP Gavin Brown, who said: “It is deeply concerning that violence toward ambulance staff has reached this level.
“The service is right in taking any measure necessary to protect staff.”
Dozens of ambulance workers in the Lothians have been attacked in the last three years.
One ambulance worker said: “In theory, you could have a crew waiting to get in there but they can’t because police aren’t yet on the scene.
“That may sound odd, but these places aren’t listed unless there’s compelling evidence.”
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