UNISON Scotland condemns rise in NHS Assaults

UNISON Scotland has condemned the rise in NHS assaults outlined in the NHSScotland Occupational Health and Safety survey.

The union called on the Executive to regularise reporting of incidents and broaden protection for staff.

Jim Devine, UNISON's Scottish Organiser (Health) said, "Whilst we welcome this pilot study as a start, it shows that more needs to be done.

"We now need to move on to ensure the standardisation throughout Scotland of the definition, recording and follow up of violent and potentially violent incidents, including verbal abuse, for all NHS staff.

"We also welcome the initiatives introduced so far by the Health Minister and Executive but urge them to take the further step of extending the offence of assault - currently proposed for those who assault emergency workers - to anyone who assaults any public service worker.

"It is also important that people ensure - by moderating both their own behaviour and that of others - that the staff who deliver their public services are not physically or verbally abused at work.

UNISON has called on the Scottish Executive to introduce UNISON's six-point action plan to deal with violence against staff. This demands:

* The Scottish Health Minister and NHS trade unions jointly issue a Staff Charter, reminding the public that it is not part of an NHS worker's job to be physically or verbally abused at work.

* The standardisation throughout Scotland of the definition, recording and follow up of violent and potentially violent incidents, including verbal abuse, for all NHS staff.

* An agreed training course on the management of violent or potentially violent incidents for all NHS staff.

* The introduction of a 'yellow and red card' warning system to members of the public who consistently abuse NHS staff. These warnings could lead to the banning of individuals from NHS premises if they persistently physically or verbally abuse staff.

* Relatives who physically abuse NHS staff must be automatically charged and prosecuted by the Procurator Fiscal.

* Every NHS worker in Scotland has a duty of care to her/himself and to her/his colleagues, to use the reporting system for every incident, and accept and expect that zero tolerance is not just the preferred but the only option.

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