Thousand attacks on psychiatric staff
PSYCHIATRIC patients in care in the Western Trust attacked health staff on over 1000 occasions over the past four years.
The level of violence suffered by staff at the hands of patients was higher here than anywhere outside Belfast.
The number of attacks rose steeply from 168 in 2006/7 to 310 in 2007/8 reaching a peak of 375 in 2008/9. It fell back to 314 in 2009/10.
The total number of attacks was 1158 over the four years in question.
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey outlined the figures in response to a query tabled at the Stormont Assembly.