A Freedom of Information request shows there were 377 assaults on staff last year alone - and 2,500 over the past four years
Shocking new figures have revealed the ‘unacceptable’ level of attacks on healthcare staff in North Wales.
The figures, given to the Daily Post following a Freedom of Information request, showed 2,500 assaults by patients on Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board staff in the last four years - and even six assaults on fellow workers.
In 2012 there were 182 attacks on staff by patients but this shot up to 834 the following year, subsequent years saw 602 incidents in 2014, 471 in 2015 and 377 in 2016.
There was also one incident of threatening behaviour by one staff member to another.
Andy Rutherford, UNISON organiser for Betsi Cadwaladr, said: “NHS staff come to work every morning focused on caring for patients and their families. Assaulting health workers is completely unacceptable.
“There are good policies in place at Betsi to protect staff and the level of assaults is coming down. However not one of the 377 assaults on staff last year is acceptable. No-one should be in fear whilst at work and that anyone should return home injured, is intolerable.
“UNISON will continue to press the Betsi board to safeguard staff so that zero tolerance means just that. Our union has enthusiastically supported the LBC radio station campaign and public petition to make it a specific criminal offence to attack any member of NHS medical staff. This is similar to the law protecting police officers. There is already a specific law in Scotland against assaulting a member of the NHS and we think it should be the same for the rest of the UK.”
A spokesperson for the health board said they had taken measures to deal with the problem.
“Our staff are working hard to care for our patients across North Wales and take their safety at work extremely seriously.
“We employ our own security staff and, through partnerships with North Wales Police, uniformed police officers provide a frequent presence on our hospital sites.
“Many areas are covered by close circuit TV, which acts as both a deterrent and a source of evidence should events take place that lead to criminal charges.
“All staff receive training, and risk assessments are carried out to ensure the safety of staff and patients.
“We employ a Violence & Aggression Case Manager to support and assist staff who have been subjected to threatening or aggressive behaviour. Where a serious assault has taken place we always support staff who wish to bring a prosecution.
“However, it must be remembered that significant number of incidents reported are not gratuitous but can be a result of patients’ conditions, for example following anaesthesia or when suffering an acute episode of a chronic illness.”
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/hundreds-north-wales-health-care-12783000
No comments:
Post a Comment