ATTACKS on NHS staff in the Greater Glasgow area increased last year.

Reported incidents grew from 4632 in 2009-10 to an estimated 5393 by the end of this financial year, after dropping in 2011-2012.

Figures decreased over four years in Ayrshire and Arran.

The Scottish Government said figures are falling overall across the country and more people are being convicted under legislation aimed at tackling the problem.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "The number of attacks against staff is falling.

"However, any attack is unacceptable. Our NHS staff should absolutely be safe in their jobs and no-one should receive abuse at work.

"Violence against NHS staff is taken very seriously and we will continue to do all we can to prevent it."

Labour MSP Dr Richard Simpson said people must be properly prosecuted.

He said: "These statistics show just how challenging the working conditions are for our hard-working nurses, doctors and other staff in the NHS.

"This sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable. Those who attack the very people who are there to help them should face the stiffest penalties.

"But the fact that little inroads are being made into the numbers raises questions for the SNP Government.

"The SNP Government must work with health boards to ensure that the conditions exist where such offences are minimised, but also to ensure that those who are violent are properly prosecuted.

"Increasingly, assaults and other more serious offences are being dealt with by fines, something which many Scots will rightly question."

Under the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 an attacker can be jailed for up to 12 months, fined £10,000 or both