SCOTTISH ambulance workers have voted overwhelmingly for an official strike ballot if excessive demands on the service and staff are not effectively tackled by the Scottish government and managers.

GMB Scotland, which represents 1,200 workers in the Scottish ambulance service, undertook a consultative ballot of its members and is calling for action to deal with “ongoing and systematic abuse of staff” due to severe understaffing and cuts.

The union’s senior officer Mick Conroy called for “a large investment from the Scottish government to increase our staff” as well as “resources across all grades to prevent the current impact on patients” and on staff’s terms and conditions.

GMB Scottish ambulance service branch convener Gary Coll said the “time has come to protest about the neglect of patients and the ongoing and systematic abuse of staff.”

Mr Coll said that “the Scottish ambulance service has many dedicated professional members of staff who care deeply about the public we aim to serve.”

But, he said: “Somewhere along the line management and the Scottish government have forgotten that the employees have family commitments, relationships and social needs” which have been put under increasing pressure due to “overwhelming volumes of work.”

Mr Coll argued that “despite our best attempts via partnership meetings at local and national levels we are struggling to deliver the changes members need and demand to ensure an appropriate work-life balance whilst serving the public of this country.”

Members have raised issues such as shifts not finishing on time, putting strain on those with family and childcare responsibilities, breaks falling well below acceptable levels and emergency-response staff being called out before vehicles and equipment have been checked properly.

GMB is reporting high levels of stress among its members, particularly lone workers such as paramedic response-unit operators, who in some cases are having to wait two or more hours before a suitable vehicle can take a patient to hospital, consequently having to deal with angry and upset family members.

Mr Conroy warned that if these issues were not resolved in a timely manner, GMB has the “authority from members to commence a ballot of action.”