Violence against hospital staff up by 30% in a year
BOSSES at Staffordshire's biggest hospital have launched a fresh crackdown on violent patients and their relatives after reported attacks on staff soared 30 per cent in just a year.
The University Hospital of North Staffordshire has also stepped up its training of nurses and other health workers to help them diagnose potential conflict early enough to nip it in the bud.
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CRACKDOWN: Forty five violent incidents happened in the accident unit.
In the past year, 105 staff have been physically assaulted, with the violence ranging from spitting to kicking and punching.
But to demonstrate its zero tolerance policy to the problem, the trust last night revealed that security guards have arrested five culprits.
The subsequent prosecutions led to one thug being jailed for criminal damage to A&E premises, and another handed an 18-month suspended sentence for assault.
As part of their drive, officials have made it easier for staff to come forward by streamlining the process they use to report incidents.
But union leaders at the hospital claim management is not doing enough to tackle the issue. They say if the trust was serious about reducing the figures it would bring in the police to every case.
Hospital security specialist Yin Naing said: "Violence or the threat of violence against the University Hospital's staff is totally unacceptable.
"Our staff are committed to providing health services and should not have to suffer violence at work. People who assault NHS staff can and will suffer the legal consequences and we will do all we can to ensure that those who assault staff are prosecuted. We shall continue to work hard to prevent assaults and to pursue sanctions when they do occur."
Pat Powell, secretary of the Unison union branch at the hospital, said: "Five arrests out of 105 incidents is not a lot and shows the zero tolerance doesn't go much further than words on a poster."
Although the figures are comparable to other hospitals, managers are still intent on reducing violent incidents, and three roadshows to promote staff safety have just ended. Security-related pens, key ring torches, personal safety alarms and information were handed out by police and the hospital's security management team. The sessions added to training days staged to show workers how to avoid being put into dangerous positions through conflict resolution.
Most of the violent incidents flared on wards at the Hartshill complex, but 45 happened in the accident unit. Some of the offenders were said to be suffering from "mental capacity issues" and may not have been aware of their actions.
A new system called Datix makes it simpler for staff to report attacks by using a computer link. The trust says the increase in cases is also down to victims being encouraged to come forward.
But Mrs Powell added: "This Datix system is all well and good but staff wonder if anything comes of the reports they put on there. People would feel safer if the police were brought in every time and the CPS could then decide what should happen to the culprits.
"One has sympathy with people with mental capacity issues who can't help their actions. But those aside, there are some very nasty patients staff try to treat. We suspect the management line is that as they are patients we ought to go soft on them and leave the police out."
9 Comments
by Andrew Cooper, Newcastle
Thursday, November 19 2009, 4:52AM
“A 'one-strike-and-you're-out' rule should be brought into force for these hooligans. Anyone who commits an act of violence towards the over-worked hopsital staff should be refused all treatment in the future, full stop.
There isn't much point in locking these cretins up because they see it as a holiday and come out ready to inflict yet more misery on society.”
by Ranting, Talke
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 7:22PM
“Chris Stoke
"Anyone convicted of assaulting ambulance staff, nurses, doctors or anyone else involved in their care should receive an automatic custodial sentence."
Absolutely, why legislation is not already in place is beyond me.
Assuming the worst, that the staff and services offered via the A&E continue to be abused. People need to stand up and be counted and put in place methods and resources so that care for patients that are seriously ill, does not become diluted by the abusive time wasters and their mates who follow them needlessly through the doors.
Unless some sort of measures are put in place it's only a matter of time before a memeber of staff is injured badly, or the A&E is overwhelmed to such an extent that it becomes useless. I suspect it is already quite close to that on some weekends.”
by Chris, Stoke
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 6:59PM
“Ranting, Talke.
I couldn't agree with you more. There was a time when the Government and NHS Trusts backed front line health workers in denying treatment to abusive/violent patients. This has quickly disappeared due to threats of litigation. The police are now too scared to lock people up for been drunk and incapable for the same reason. Hence the numbers that end up in A&E
Alcohol can mask injuries and certain illness can make people appear intoxicated. I know that if any injuries are missed, due to refusal to treat, the clinician would certainly be investigated and face disiplinary action. There is no back up from the Trusts.
Anyone convicted of assaulting ambulance staff, nurses, doctors or anyone else involved in their care should recieve an automatic custodial sentence.”
by Ranting, Talke
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 4:07PM
“Personally I think the combining of the A&E with what was the MAU has been a disaster for patients.
Seriously ill people are lumped together with the "weekend drunks & fighters" not only is it frightening and intimidating for children, old and genuinely ill, but like wise for the staff who need to balance their efforts between treating the critical patients and dealing with the trouble causers.
Drunks should be kept out of the A&E and treated "city centre," in purpose built units paid for by the local publicans and landlords. Treatment should cost! If you go to see a consultant privately it will cost £50-100 for less than an hour, the same should be true for the louts who need patching up. £150 minimum, plus £150 for every 30mins there after.
It is an offence to serve alcohol to someone you deem to be intoxicated, perhaps if that were enforced more rigidly things may ease, though I doubt it.
The doctors need the right to refuse to treat abusive patients, and they needs to be supported for doing so. Once people realise they won't be trated unless they behave and there is nothing they can do about it. They just might behave like humans instead of animals.
Society has alsway has those disregard the rules and abuse others, the main change appears that it is now tolerated instead of being dealt with.
The doctors and nurses work hard enough without being abused on a daily basis.”
by Andi, Stoke
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 3:31PM
“Just an idea ....... why don't the police have an outpost sited within the proximity of the A&E unit which could act as another visible deterrent as the police coming in and out for their meal breaks and whilst on the premises as part of their duties (ie after coming in with victims of accidents etc) this too I would think would be an assurance for both NHS staff and patients who need treatment without the threat of violence from a third party.”
by JD, Staffs
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 3:31PM
“Classic indictment of a broken society. Can it ever be repaired again? Unlikely when our leaders and judiciary have no backbone.”
by Ranting, Talke
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 12:51PM
“As outraged as it makes most decent folk feel, most can only imagine how the nurses, doctors, and security staff, cope dealing with any form of abuse. Verbal is bad enough, physical abuse is just disgusting and shouldn't be tolerated.
Additional "training days" for staff on dealing with potentially violent patients is pointing the spotlight in the wrong direction.
The assumption that everyone who comes through the doors has the right to treatment is outdated and pushes an already under resourced system beyond it;s limits to cope.
Anyone who's needed to use the A&E over a weekend will have seen what the staff deal with. If ONE aggressive patient misbehaves, then the number of people put in harms way to dealing with it put a strain on the whole A&E as a whole. There will be security guards doing their best to protect staff and patients, Police, if it escalates, nurses keeping watch in case the so-called patient actually needs assistance. Quite possibly half a dozen people being pulled away from what the should be doing to deal with the situation.
The effect that has on other patients is difficult to measure, but as a minimum manifests itself as time spent waiting for treatment.
The people who do their best for us should be protected from harm. If that means turning away a drunk or other abusive member of the public so be it. Doctors and nurses have a duty of care to patients, that duty should end if they are abused, either verbally or physically. That should apply general nursing on the wards, altered behaviour due to injury is something they're trained to deal with, having to train them just to deal with abusive, violent patients isn't how it should dealt with, simply recording the information on a "Datix" system is missing the point. They need to be protected not documented.”
by Steve, Longton
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 11:47AM
“Andy, Sandbach. You're so right and those who contribute the least to society always shout the most. Their counsellors and social workers give them an over inflated opinion of themselves as they tell them that they are the victims and it's not their fault for the way they behave. By having their self-esteem falsely raised they think they come before all others in any queue.
When the thick and ignorant are allowed to dominate then it becomes increasingly difficult to see a way back, as hierarchy is destroyed.”
by Andy, Sandbach
Wednesday, November 18 2009, 10:49AM
“What has happened to Great Brittain?
What happened to the respect and belief that the public used to have for front line public servants who are there to help?
This is an utter disgrace. I would not assault a Doctor, Nurse or Paramedic any more than I would drop litter.
If someone were to go into Asda or some other private business and assault or offer violence to staff, they would be given a banning notice.
Why is it that public sector staff are expected to "put up" with such behaviour.
One only has to endure a Friday or Saturday night at the A+E to see what I mean. Is it a hospital or green roon for the Jeremy Kyle Show?”