Blacklist violent patients, plea from staff

12:30pm Saturday 10th November 2007

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A CALL for violent patients to be blacklisted by the NHS was made today after it was revealed that there were more than 40 attacks on staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital last year.

The latest figures show that violent patients and their families attacked 42 hospital workers between March, 2006, and April, 2007.

In the same 12 months, the number of attacks on NHS staff working in the community - such as district nurses - soared to 118.

Cllr Andy Morgan, chairman of the health scrutiny committee, is now calling for abusive patients to be refused treatment and blacklisted.

He said: "There is no excuse for attacking staff unless a patient is mentally ill. It shouldn't be tolerated."

November has been declared Security Awareness Month, during which time bosses at the Royal Bolton Hospital will be hoping to highlight the problem.

As Christmas approaches, extra police patrols will also be drafted in at the hospital to prevent a further rise in attacks.

Lorraine Jones, the hospital's security management specialist, said: "Sometimes NHS staff become so used to being the victim of abuse, threatening behaviour or violence that they forget it's not actually part of their job and they shouldn't be expected to tolerate it."

Despite the shocking levels of violence recorded at the hospital, the actual number of attacks fell by six, compared with the previous 12 months.

However, the number of attacks on Primary Care Trust staff working in the community rose by 21 over the same period.

One hospital nurse, who asked not to be named, was so badly assaulted she has been given a reserved car parking space and is escorted to her car if she feels afraid. The patient who assaulted her was given a three year prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, earlier this year.

Between November, 2006, and February, this year, the hospital took part in a pilot scheme, which saw police officers drafted in to issue £80 on-the-spot fines to violent patients in the accident and emergency department. Seven people were referred to the police during the scheme and two fines were handed out.

Since then, doctors, nurses and other medical staff have been passing on contact details of abusive patients to police, who are still issuing fines. Permanent security staff are also employed at the hospital, CCTV is in operation and almost 2,000 hospital staff have been given conflict training.

Damian Isherwood, Unison spokesman, said: "Understandably a visit to the hospital can be a highly emotional time for many people, but this does not give them the right to be violent."