UNISON welcomes sentence on nurse attacker

UNISON, the largest union representing Scotland's health care workers, today welcomed the strong sentence given to the attacker of a nurse in the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

Jim Devine, UNISON's Scottish Organiser for Health said "We welcome this sign that courts are beginning to treat assaults on public service workers more seriously. This is in line with the six-point plan against violence that UNISON outlined last year. There is a growing trend of assaults throughout the public services and UNISON will not stand back and allow this to become accepted. Whilst we do not want to criminalise people it appears that some people will only listen to this kind of sentence."

"We want to continue discussions with the Executive to ensure that all public service staff who face this problem are given adequate protection. And it is time for the Scottish Executive to implement the UNISON action plan, including a staff charter."

ENDS

For Further Information Please Contact: Jim Devine (Scottish Org - Health) 0845 355 0845(w) 07876 441 239(m) Chris Bartter (Communications Officer) 0845 355 0845(w) 0771 558 3729(m)

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