Concerns have been raised over the number of attacks on NHS staff in Barrhead.

Figures obtained by the Barrhead News via a Freedom of Information request show just two Barrhead centres accounted for more than half of all of the attacks on East Renfrewshire’s health workers in the past six years.

More than a third of the 136 violent or aggressive incidents in the local authority since 2012 have taken place at Barrhead Health and Care Centre, with staff attacked on at least 46 occasions.

Elsewhere, 31 attacks on health workers have taken place at Barrhead Resource Centre over the past six years, while Atholl Resource Centre had 14 violent or aggressive incidents take place prior to 2015.

Attacks such as these have been blamed on a lack of staffing and funding cuts, leading to hostile environments.

Royal College of Nurses (RCN) Scotland said health boards must now listen to staff to improve working environments.

Norman Provan, associate director of RCN Scotland, said: “Nurses are already under pressure due to staff shortages and increasing demands on their time; they should not have to put up with verbal or physical assaults.

“All health boards have a duty of care to protect their staff. They should also make clear to patients and their families they have a zero tolerance approach to any violence and they will report all incidents to the police.”

Despite these figures, the total number of attacks in East Renfrewshire as a whole has reduced steadily since 2016.

A British Medical Association Scotland spokesperson said: “The NHS has a zero tolerance approach to violence against staff, yet sadly high numbers of cases continue to be reported. It is completely unacceptable.”

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) say ‘a range of measures to protect staff’ have been introduced to protect staff.

A health board spokesman said: “Our staff are entitled to work free of threats, assaults and intimidation.We have a campaign to combat aggression.

“Where staff are assaulted or abused, we fully support them and encourage them to pursue their abusers through the criminal justice system.”