Staff speak out against violence from patients

Staff have spoken out about the impact of violence from the people they help after new figures revealed an increase in the number of physical assaults.

New figures released by NHS Protect show that 195 physical assaults were reported at the Trust in 2014/15, compared to 188 assaults in 2013/14.

And criminal sanctions were brought against 90 people who assaulted ambulance staff.

An emergency care assistant, who was grabbed inappropriately by a drunk man whilst taking the patient to a hospital in Essex last September, said: “It was whilst driving home, I started to think about the incident, asking myself ‘why?’ but I didn’t have the answers. I spent most of the drive home crying.

“I try to give every patient the benefit of doubt, and treat everyone equally and with the upmost respect, but when I’m with a patient of the opposite gender, be it they are intoxicated or have some form of dementia, I’m apprehensive.

“I truly feel unless you’ve been assaulted, you cannot know how it affects someone. My assault was over a year ago, but I still remember it vividly.”

The offender, who pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault, was sentenced to a suspended nine-month jail term and ordered to pay £500 compensation to the member of staff.

Ethan Foster, a student Emergency Medical Technician in Luton, was punched by a drunk patient outside Luton and Dunstable Hospital A&E last October. His attacker received a 12-week suspended sentence and ordered to pay £200 compensation.

He said: “I am now very wary when I attend volatile patients and I am more cautious. I know a lot of people in the service take verbal abuse as part of part of the job, but I believe they need to be reported and I think they are under reported.
“People need to realise that it is unacceptable to abuse members of staff.”

Ipswich paramedic Nicholas Williams was spat at by a violent man who had been arrested last year. The man was ordered to pay £50 compensation and given a community sentence.

“From time to time you get verbal abuse, but spitting is the most vile action. We are dealing with people with complex social needs, but there is no excuse for something like this,” he said.

A paramedic in west Hertfordshire, who was kicked by a patient earlier this year, said: “We were looking after her wellbeing and we were shocked by her lack of respect.

“It is very common to hear of cases where staff come back at the end of a shift quite upset over being verbally abused by members of the public. Our staff are trying to do their best for the patient and still experiencing aggressive behaviour.”

Fifty-five of the assaults reported against EEAST staff 2014/15 involved medical factors. However, 140 assaults did not relate to the patient’s medical condition.

Robert Morton, Chief Executive, said: “The number of physical assaults is a very small percentage of the calls our staff attend. However, violence can have a big impact on our staff who are trying to save lives and provide the best possible care.

“It is unacceptable that our staff experience abuse when they are trying to do their job and it won’t be tolerated. We will seek to prosecute those who assault or abuse our dedicated staff.”

For more information, please contact Local Security Management Specialist Anne Wright by email anne.wright@eastamb.nhs.uk or by phone 01245 444499.

published 22nd November, 2015