HUNDREDS of incidents of abuse have been suffered by ambulance staff while they carried out life-saving duties, with 63 addresses in Oxfordshire ‘red-flagged’ as a result.

A Freedom of Information request from the Oxford Mail revealed the neighbourhoods of those addresses in which ambulance staff must carry out a risk assessment before even stepping inside the property.

This includes 21 addresses in Oxford alone where they are categorised with South Central Ambulance Service as a potential ‘danger’, and the number of incidents in the region is increasing.

ALSO READ: Rise in NHS assaults despite £10k 'body cam' rollout

Former ambulance commander Dick Tracey recalls two occasions in his career when he was physically attacked, plus the countless verbal assaults suffered by him and his colleagues.

He said: “I was physically assaulted once in Abingdon and once in Headington. The Headington one was just bizarre because I was assaulted by someone who I wasn’t even called out to. I was just walking back to my car and someone just decided to hit me.”

Mr Tracey, who retired in 2017, said verbal assaults on ambulance staff were ‘commonplace’ and happened to team members almost every shift.

He added: “Abuse against ambulance staff has happened since I started back in 1994, but it is hugely disappointing that numbers are increasing. Now, that could be more people reporting it because it is tolerated less now, if ever it was tolerated at all.

“It is just wholly disappointing and it has got to stop. The job itself is stressful enough, without adding to this stress by abusing members of staff. It’s got to stop.”

Ambulance Service spokesman David Gallagher said addresses can be flagged for a number of clinical and non-clinical reasons including particular care needs, access issues, presence of drug paraphernalia or weapons.

But of the 63 ‘red-flagged’ in Oxfordshire this is ‘mainly down to incidents of abuse, aggression or behavioural difficulties’ experienced by staff previously.

This includes 21 addresses in Oxford, 19 in Cherwell, 15 in southern Oxfordshire, and eight addresses in West Oxfordshire. Five of these addresses have required police attendance previously.

Figures also show reports from South Central Ambulance Service staff of abuse or aggression from patients have risen to almost 500 in 2017/18. This number is up from 421 in 2016/17 and 368 in 2015 /16.

READ ALSO: Paramedics to be issued with body cameras to protect them from violence

In each of these cases ambulance staff must carry out a risk assessment before stepping inside the property, and in some cases call the police and wait a short distance away before being escorted inside.

Mr Gallagher added: “Our staff continue to suffer completely unacceptable verbal and physical abuse whilst at work and trying to ensure patients get the help they need.

“SCAS will work closely with local police forces in the South Central region to secure appropriate sanctions against anyone who verbally abuses or physically assaults our staff.”

Stricter sanctions have recently been put in place to provide better protection for emergency staff and the maximum prison time for those found guilty has risen from six months to a year.

Union representative for Unison Ryan Slaughter added: “Unison always works with employers in regards to health and safety and it is a concern not just in Oxfordshire.

“We have seen an increase in occasions of aggression and we have had some horrific incidents nationally.

It is not just ambulance staff but other emergency services as well.”

The Freedom of Information request also revealed that staff are not only faced with abuse but several have also been targeted by thieves.

In June last year a defibrillator and community first responder kit worth £1,750 was stolen in Witney.

The year before a ‘blue light bar’ worth £400 was stolen near Thame.

READ ALSO: Rise in violence and drug finds posing a safety risk at HMP Bullingdon, report finds

Mr Tracey added: “When I worked in the ambulances, we had unloaded a very ill patient and one of the staff came back out to the ambulance to find the paramedics’ bag had been stolen from out the back.

“It was found dumped the next morning when someone obviously found there wasn’t anything worthwhile in it.”

The first conviction and sentencing under new laws regarding abuse against emergency staff came on Friday in Portsmouth