Hospital Staff at Great Risk of Attack and Injury Whilst at Work

There are millions of people working extremelythe offence of serious assault, which is the
hard every day in the UK to ensure that theoffence people are charged with after attacking a
public are healthy and recover from illness orpolice officer. Calls are being made for attacks on
accidents. Countless medical staff around thehospital staff to be taken more seriously after it
country study hard to become doctors andwas revealed that of 116,000 verbal or physical
nurses and then work long hours and endureassaults carried out in 2003, only 50 led to
stressful situations in order to save the lives ofprosecutions. Staff are hoping for a zero
men women and children every day. Thesetolerance approach to violence in hospital.There
people are present day saints and have chosenare several cases where staff have made
the caring professions because they genuinelysuccessful compensation claims against hospitals
want to help others. Sadly though, their effortswhere they work. For example a nurse made a
sometimes are not appreciated.Figures show thatclaim for compensation and received £5,000
each hospital in the UK reports an average of 43after being attacked from behind by a patient.
violent assaults on staff every year. FromShe had tried to prevent the patient from
receptionists and porters, to nurses, surgeons andattacking another and was then attacked herself.
doctors, people trying hard to make others feelHospitals have a duty of care, just like any other
better, are constantly at risk from unprovokedemployer, to protect their staff from injury and
attack by unruly patients. Under the Freedom ofaccidents at work. Even though violence appears
Information Act, hospitals around the countryto be commonplace, action should be taken to
have revealed that patients will use the nearestreduce the risk to people who have dedicated
weapon available, from a hot drink to a zimmertheir lives to helping people who are sick and in
frame, in order to inflict injury upon medical staff.need.If you have been injured whilst at work and
In Wales figures show that a worker is attackedyour employer was to blame or did not protect
every two hours, with an average of 13 attacksyou, then you are entitled to make a claim for
per day across the country. There were aroundpersonal injury compensation.To get free legal
7,500 reports of physical and verbal abuse acrossadvice and a no obligation assessment of your
Wales last year.The reasons for these attacksclaim then call The Accident Compensation
range from anger about waiting times toSolicitors on 0808 144 00 43.Editorial notes:
frustration from friends and relatives about visitingprovides personal injury compensation following a
hours. Around 40% of attacks are alcohol inducednon fault accident.The author: Sophie Evans -
with many patients being admitted to hospital withCompensation Solicitors provide customers with
self inflicted drinking injuries. It is believed that thepersonal injury compensation following a non fault
high numbers relate to the fact that staff areaccident. They work on a no win no fee basis
now actively encouraged to report any incidentensuring that customers get 100% compensation.
where they are threatened or attacked.UnderCall 0808 144 0043 for more information about
current law people who attack medical staff aremaking a claim.
likely to receive a charge of assault rather than