Zero tolerance

During a question and answer session with The Southern Health and Social Care Trust at a recent council meeting Stephen Moutray asked what steps were being taken to deal with drunk patients abusing staff.

Angela McVeigh, Director of Older People and Primary Care, said: “We can turn nobody away and we never know how badly hurt someone might be when under the influence of alcohol.”

She said aggressive patients were on the increase and steps had been taken to ensure staff safety including using porters as security staff and offering one to one nursing support when required.

She added: “We have a very rigorous zero tolerance approach to abusive patients and there have been a number of recent convictions in court.”

DUP MLA Stephen Moutray commended the Trust on its zero tolerance policy saying: “It’s very important to send out the message that this behaviour will not be tolerated and people can go to hospitals in safety.”