Petition to cut attacks on region’s health staff

The e-petition has been launched by Unison and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust after figures revealed there were more than 150 assaults per day against healthcare staff in England in 2009/10.

The petition says: “It is the view of the petitioners that the Government could reverse this appalling situation by insisting perpetrators of all violent offences against NHS staff are prosecuted in most and more cases for their gratuitous behaviour.”

The trust recorded 101 assaults against staff between April 1, 2009, and March 31 last year.

Jug Johal, the trust’s head of transport, car parking and security, said: “Our message is clear – violence and abuse at our hospitals will not be tolerated.

“Where appropriate we will exclude and prosecute offenders and refer them to the police.

“An analysis of our figures from 2009-10 shows 16 incidents where there appear to be no mitigating circumstances, and the majority of those take place in the accident and emergency departments.

“This is clearly unacceptable and we continue to work to reduce the number of such incidents occurring within the trust.

“The fact that the people being attacked are those dedicated to caring for patients and saving lives is despicable and wherever possible we will pursue the prosecution of the offenders. We already know that one of the cases last year resulted in a criminal sanction being imposed and we will continue to work with the authorities to prosecute wherever possible.”

Julian Corlett, Unison branch secretary at Scunthorpe Hospital, added: “It is appalling that staff at our hospitals – whose work each day is aimed at improving people’s health and saving lives – should suffer any form of violence. We want as many people as possible to sign the petition.”