Glasgow's Flagship Hospital Faces "Serious Risk" of Assaults Amid Hundreds of Police Callouts

Strategic Insights -

Police officers have been called to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) in Glasgow more than 800 times since 2022 to tackle assault, theft, property damage, and sexual crimes. Freedom of Information figures obtained by the Scottish Tories revealed that 150 callouts were for assault, with 63 of those incidents occurring between January 2024 and the first nine months of 2025. The situation has been described by Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, the health spokesman for the Scottish Tories, as "deeply concerning," with the SNP ministers accused of "turning a blind eye" to the risks.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital has experienced over 800 police callouts since 2022, with a significant portion of those calls related to assault, theft, property damage, and sexual crimes.
  • 150 callouts were specifically for assault, with 63 of those incidents occurring between January 2024 and the first nine months of 2025.
  • 48 callouts have related to sexual offenses since 2022, and there have been 324 calls relating to a disturbance, with 147 of those incidents taking place in 2024.
  • The Scottish Tories' health spokesman, Dr. Sandesh Gulhane, has described the situation as "deeply concerning," accusing SNP ministers of failing to take adequate action.
  • The issue has led to increased pressure on emergency services and NHS workers, with Dr. Gulhane calling for a zero-tolerance approach to such behavior.
  • The Scottish Government has emphasized its commitment to protecting patients and staff, citing robust legislation and a public protection strategy to support staff in safeguarding individuals.

Statistics:

  • Police callouts to QEUH since 2022: over 800
  • Assault-related callouts: 150
  • Sexual offenses-related callouts: 48
  • Calls relating to a disturbance: 324
  • Incidents of assault between January 2024 and the first nine months of 2025: 63
  • Total violent incidents against NHS staff in Scotland since 2019: over 51,000
  • Incidents of violent behavior against nursing staff: 25,142
  • Increases in sexual crimes across Scotland (2023-24 to 2024-25): 3%
  • Increase in violent crimes across Scotland (2023-24 to 2024-25): 1%

Sources:

  • The Herald
  • Scottish Tories' Freedom of Information figures
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats
  • NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
  • Scottish Government
  • Scottish Liberal Democrats
  • Police Scotland