HERTS: Assaults on NHS staff down
5:10pm Thursday 27th November 2008 in Where I Live
NEW figures show the number of assaults on health staff, including nurses and ambulance drivers across the county has dropped by 30 percent.
In 2006-07 Hertfordshire NHS Foundation Trust recorded 381 assaults on its ambulance staff, compared to 2007-08 the same figure was only 268, an overall drop of 30 percent.
The Trust put the reduction in the figures down to a specialist training scheme for staff.
Hertfordshire Trust Manager Andrew Wellings said: “Thanks to an ongoing programme of training, and continuing vigilance by our front-line staff, the number of incidents which escalated to involve physical contact has dropped over the past 12 months. Our staff are often able to prevent low-level aggressive behaviour becoming more serious."
He added: “Any assault is regrettable, and our staff are trained to deal with people who may be in a disturbed state for a variety of reasons. This trust has one of the lowest rates of assault on staff among England’s mental health trusts.”
