Freedom of Information figures highlighting extent of spitting attacks on NHS, police, prison and ambulance staff during the Covid pandemic may be 'only the tip of the iceberg'

Vile spitting attacks repeatedly put frontline staff in Inverness and Nairn at increased threat of Covid-19 infection during the first year of the pandemic.

A Courier investigation has found that NHS, prison and local emergency service workers already risking their health to protect the public reported more than four serious instances of the disgusting assault every month.

Worryingly, one leading Highland union official believes the figures are “only the tip of the iceberg” given anecdotal evidence of under-reporting.

It comes as NHS Highland warned last week of a significant increase in coronavirus cases across its area.

As well as the heightened Covid risk for staff and their families, Unite union says there is evidence the threat of spitting assaults has taken a heavy toll on the mental health of frontline staff.

Our data, retrieved through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, identified exactly 50 serious spitting incidents from first lockdown on March 23 last year to February 19 this year.

Worst hit locally were Police Scotland officers with 23 reports, closely followed by NHS employees at Raigmore and New Craigs hospitals with 22.

Prison staff reported four spitting incidents, the Scottish Ambulance Service one, with the Scottish Fire Service not affected.

David Threadgold, north area chairman of the Scottish Police Federation, said: “I’m a serving police officer myself and most of us believe that to be spat on is one of the worst kinds of assault.

“Notwithstanding any medical implications, there is the period of testing you’re subjected to, to check for diseases like hepatitis and HIV. Clearly, there’s stress inherent in that.

“If you then frame being spat on during a global pandemic, where officers often haven’t had the added protection of a priority vaccination, then it is extremely stressful.

“Our federation fought long and hard for cops to be prioritised, but it fell on deaf ears. The government’s policy was based on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) information.

“What people sometimes forget is that, as serving police officers, we all live in the community. It affects the families we go home to and members of the community we interact with.

“For it to be happening at the frequency that your newspaper has discovered tells me it is time for the community to decide whether that behaviour is acceptable.

“The community must demand consistently tough sentencing for those taken to court for spitting offences.”

Marc Jackson, Highland regional officer for Unite, which represents NHS and ambulance workers, said: “Those working in the NHS are basically getting attacked, spat at and sworn at on a daily basis.

“A lot of these workers have already put lives on hold to do their jobs in incredibly difficult circumstances.

“As an officer with Unite, I will be raising the Courier’s evidence with relevant authorities and discussing what measures we can put in place.

“It is a total disgrace, particularly during the pandemic.

“We have had ambulance drivers attacked regularly who don’t want to report it so this really is the tip of the iceberg.

“It is almost seen as a normal day now, and it shouldn’t be.

“Our members and friends in the NHS deserve to go to their work without the fear and stress of assault.”

Highland politicians were united in a call for tougher sentencing of offenders.

Drew Hendry, SNP MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, said: “Absolutely no-one should have to tolerate this kind of abuse at work, especially workers who put their lives on the line every day to protect our families.

“Our frontline workers have been incredible throughout this pandemic, as they always are.

“The overwhelming majority of people are grateful to them all and will share my disgust at these incidents.”

Party colleague Fergus Ewing MSP said: “Spitting is a criminal assault and should be investigated with a view to prosecution.

“Those convicted should face a sentence reflecting the repellent and unacceptable nature of such behaviour.

“Public sector workers, including emergency service staff, have been the subject of legislation which enables more severe penalties to be imposed for assaults upon them.

“My understanding is the courts have the powers to apply disposals of sufficient severity to act as a deterrent.”

Conservative MSP Edward Mountain said: “Our emergency service workers should never have to face the threat of physical assault.

“A zero-tolerance approach must be taken and those found guilty of deliberately spitting at staff should receive the full force of the law.”

Labour’s Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant said: “Everyone deserves to be free from attack at their work and this is especially true for frontline public workers.

“I am sickened and disgusted that while the rest of us stood at our front doors clapping frontline staff, a small minority saw fit to abuse them.”

Figures revealed by NHS Highland last week showed that in Inverness there had been 73 cases in June up to the middle of last week, while there were 45 recorded cases in May. For the same period, Nairn had 18 cases, compared to fewer than five recorded cases in May.

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