NHS Highland and the Scottish Ambulance Service have confirmed there were 6750 verbal and physical assaults against staff in the Inverness area between from 2014 to September 2019.
The latest figures, highlighted by the Inverness Courier, show there were 447 such incidents in 2014, 1468 in 2015, 1064 in 2016, 1331 in 2017, 1486 in 2018 and 954 to September 1, 2019. Of the 6750 incidents, 52 involved paramedics in the NHS Highland area and the rest involved other staff, including doctors and nurses.
Edward Mountain MSP said: “A zero tolerance approach must be taken and that must mean those found guilty of attacking healthcare staff receive the full force of the law.
“We must look after our hard-working healthcare professionals, who do so much to look after us.”