SIX Swindon homes have been declared no-go areas by paramedics unless they are escorted by police.

During the past five years there were a dozen cases where ambulance staff were physically assaulted while doing their job at these properties.

The ambulance service said while it is committed to making sure everyone gets the treatment they need, paramedics should also be protected.

And they say it has become necessary for its staff to receive extra support when going to certain places due to violent incidents in the past.

A warning letter is sent to problem households to remind them how to behave before the ambulance service decides a police escort is necessary if there are to be future visits.

A spokesman for South Western Ambulance said: “We take a zero-tolerance approach to any form of abuse towards its staff.

“All reports of violence and aggression towards crews are taken seriously.

“Where there is sufficient evidence, the trust will place a warning marker on the patient’s address and send a letter to the patient regarding their behaviour.

"On rare occasions, our crews will request police support for addresses where repeat behaviour is known.

“Conflict resolution training is given to all frontline staff. Every member of trust staff plays a vital role in serving the community by helping to deliver the right care in the right place at the right time, and staff should be able to fulfil their life-saving role without fear of abuse or assault.

"The trust would encourage all incidents to be reported as soon as possible.”

Swindon is not the only place affected with 40 properties in Oxfordshire also flagged as problem locations.

Andy Batty, of South Central Ambulance, told the BBC the problem is getting worse across all areas. "It has become more prevalent in recent years,” he said.

“There has been a change in the behaviour of some patients.

“These are people who do not care who they are dealing with and will abuse our staff, whether this is physically, verbally and sometimes they are to our staff members’ families.

“This has quite a severe psychological effect on our staff and is unacceptable.

"We are there to try to save people’s lives and protect the public who we serve.”

Wiltshire Police say when requested they will help paramedics when they are called out to jobs if the risk is deemed high enough.

A spokesman for the police said: “Wiltshire Police support our ambulance colleagues when requested.

"This is normally based on their risk assessment when attending calls, in order to ensure that the patient gets the treatment required and that ambulance colleagues are working in a safe environment.”