Abuse on health workers prompts zero tolerance drive

SHOCKING levels of abuse - there were over one thousand verbal and physical assaults on Western Health and Social Care Trust (WHSCT) staff last year - have driven a new zero tolerance policy being rolled out by the health service, police and the prosecution service.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Jun 2010, 13:22 BST

Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has now signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the PSNI and the PPS to ensure the protection of health service staff.

Staff and emergency services continue to be subjected to verbal and physical abuse on a daily basis. Last year alone there were over 1,277 cases of verbal and physical abuse against healthcare staff in the Western Trust area.

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Nurses, doctors and social workers were physically attacked 780 times last year in the Trust; they were subjected to verbal abuse on 497 separate occasions. Only in Belfast were there as many assaults. Across Northern Ireland there were over 8,000 assaults in total.

Mr McGimpsey said: "I wish to reinforce the message of zero tolerance: zero tolerance on attacks; zero tolerance on abuse; and zero tolerance on threatening behaviour.

"Anti social behaviour in hospitals and attacks on healthcare workers is a serious issue and is one that I am working in partnership with the PSNI and the PPS to address.

"However, it is not an issue that can be solved by the policing or justice system alone. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that people dedicated to caring for the community receive the respect they deserve and are allowed to do their duties free from abuse.

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"Every day lost to sickness following an assault on healthcare staff makes it harder for patients to receive the care they need. In addition, this can put the provision of that care under great financial pressure."

Chief Superintendent Andrew McQuiggan, PSNI said: "Health care staff deserve to be protected as they carry out their important duties caring for everyone in our communities.

"Police are determined to play our part in ensuring staff are protected and that those who break the law are subjected to the full rigour of the law."

Welcoming the Memorandum of Understanding, Pamela Atchison, Senior Assistant Director, PPS said: "Offences committed against persons serving the public are wholly unacceptable and, where there is sufficient evidence, the fact that the offence was committed against a person serving the public will be a strong factor in favour of prosecution.

"The PPS is committed to working in partnership with the Department and the PSNI to ensure that health and social care workers are able to continue to provide their vital services to the community."

Related topics:PSNIPoliceNurses