Hospital workers attacked by patients and other staff members, stats show
Official figures have been released by the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Hospital workers have been attacked by patients almost 3,300 times over the last three years while there have been several hundred incidents of staff-on-staff violence in Gloucestershire, according to official figures.
There is concern among hospital chiefs over the level of violence between staff with 127 incidents reported in the last financial year.
There have been a total of 442 violence and aggression staff-on-staff incidents over the last three years.
During that time a total of 3,295 incidents excluding those between workers.
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust chiefs say a new report, support and learning system will be in place from the end of the first quarter of the current year.
This will provide a clearer way for staff to report incidents and for action to be taken.
Measures to reduce the number of violent and aggressive incidents includes de-escalation training and the use of body-worn cameras which have now been deployed as a permanent safety divide in the highest-risk areas.
The trust secured funding to buy 18 cameras, six of which are located in ED, six in the porters lodge for use by security and there are two cameras in three other hotspot areas.
Other departments are able to purchase cameras if necessary.
Footage from the cameras has provided invaluable and reliable evidence which has been shared with the police with a view to securing appropriate action against perpetrators, according to a report presented at a trust board meeting this week.
“Hotspots for abuse, aggression and violence continue to include the emergency Department in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital where interim proposals have led to additional dedicated security resources.
“The triggers for abuse and violence vary. In approximately 50 per cent of incidents the perpetrator (patient or visitor) is recorded as having capacity at the time of the incident.”
The trust says these incidents are reviewed weekly by a behaviour standards panel which can issue a behaviour warning letter, or conditional behaviour order.
“The panel takes careful account of mitigating circumstances such as mental-health, physical health, safeguarding and clinical complaints before approving a warning letter/ order.
“Patients are also given a right to respond via the complaints process.”