Herts NHS staff need to take 'zero tolerance' approach to abuse
Bosses are promising a united front against those who attack staff
NHS staff need to have a 'zero tolerance' approach to abuse, according to a boss in Hertfordshire.
At the annual general meeting of the East and North Herts NHS Trust, chief executive Nick Carter said staff put up with too much abuse.
He welcomed the "significant sentence" handed down from the courts after a member of Trust staff was racially abused.
And he said those guilty of such behaviour should be 'named and shamed'.
But he said the 'zero tolerance' approach had to start with staff being less tolerant:
"We have to reduce the tolerance of our staff to abuse.
"Our staff routinely put up and have normalised far far too much abuse - and we need to reduce our tolerance and we need to act upon abuse towards our staff."
Chief nurse Rachael Corser and senior police officers are now conducting regular walk-abouts around the Lister Hospital, in Stevenage.
And Ms Corser told the virtual meeting it was to show a 'united front', to ensure staff would feel supported in reporting any incident.
The Trust has increased the number of security guards and other staff, who can be available if patients are at risk of hurting themselves or others.
And Ms Corser said work was already ongoing to help staff consider examples of when abuse has occurred and how it can be reported -so appropriate action can be taken.
She added:
"There are a number of actions that we are taking.
"…And our staff should not tolerate - and we do not tolerate - abuse to them at all."
Mr Carver then stressed that most users of the Trust's services were supportive - and not abusive.
And he added:
"This is just a minority - but its a minority that must not be tolerated."