Requirements for special security teams for ambulance personnel

The demand is made to the Ministry of Social Affairs and five regions, Region Stockholm, Gävleborg, Region Skåne, Region Västra Götaland and Örebro, which the union considers to be particularly vulnerable. The Ambulance Association wants it to be urgently investigated whether there should be special trained security teams available when the police do not have resources. They must be able to be called on ambulance calls where there is a known or feared risk of threats, harassment, violence or other serious impact on ambulance personnel.

- Today, situations arise where the police's resources or response times do not allow sufficient protective preparedness for the staff, and then we want it to be possible for ambulance crews to request an escort from a security company, says Henrik Johansson.

Threatening situations in Region Stockholm

Statistics obtained by SVT show that between May 2025 and August 2026, there have been 254 work environment deviations where there was a risk of threatening or violent situations and that there have been six care deviations regarding threats and violence. During the same time - May 2025 to today - the ambulance service in the Stockholm Region has carried out around 400,000 missions.

- Colleagues have, among other things, been threatened with a knife in connection with calls, says Matilda Axelsson, who is acting operations manager in the ambulance medical administration in Region Stockholm.

Since last year, Region Stockholm has taken full responsibility for ambulance healthcare in Region Stockholm. Previously, the assignment was shared between three companies. Hiring security guards is something that the head of administration now wants to review.

A state investigation is investigating the matter

At the same time, a government investigation is underway to map threats and violence within ambulance healthcare. Among other things, the investigator must review whether the safety situation for ambulance personnel can be increased through the exchange of information between the police authority and the ambulance service. The report must be finalized in October.