Attacks on NHS staff falling

Attacks on NHS staff falling
MORE than 40 NHS staff in Warrington and Halton Hospitals were physically assaulted at work during the past twelve months according to annual figures released by the NHS Security Management System.
Six court cases were brought against assailants but violence towards NHS workers is steadily declining, the report also claims – with 56 people attacked during the previous 12 months.
In 2008/2009 there were a total of 54,758 physical assaults across the NHS – a decrease of 1,235 assaults compared with the previous year. Acute hospitals faced the highest levels of violence according to the report with 11,088 recorded in the year just gone.
Warrington and Halton NHS Trust’s security team recently introduced cameras which can be worn on the body to assist them in tackling anti-social behaviour. The cameras film verbal or physical abuse and can be used in as evidence in a prosecution.
Chris Todd, local security management specialist at Warrington Hospital said: “Much of the success in lowering the number of violent incidents in Warrington Hospital is down to the excellent working relationship we have with the rest of the hospital community; without their help our job becomes so much more difficult.
“Staff work hard to reassure patients and their families and that is important in times of stress and often defuses the trigger point for violence. Our rapport with our partners outside the hospital is very good and all these factors make our Trust a safer place patients, relatives, visitors and not least our own staff. “
Catherine Beardshaw, chief executive at the hospitals, said: “NHS staff come to work to help people, they don’t come to be assaulted by anyone. Actual assaults on staff are something we take very seriously indeed. At the same time we know that people do get upset about their health, and all our staff do their best to help people through emotional distress.”