Plan required to tackle ‘rising levels’ of violence against healthcare staff

The issue of “rising levels” of violence against doctors and other healthcare staff was raised during the opening motions session of the IMO AGM on 10 April.

Attendees unanimously passed a motion calling on the HSE to work with the IMO and other healthcare unions to develop and resource a plan to tackle increasing incidents of violence and aggression towards healthcare staff.

Supporting the motion, Dr Laura Finnegan said violence is accepted “too much” by doctors as part of their work.

“I think everyone has probably experienced some level of aggression or violence,” she told delegates.

She said it should be recognised that aggressive behaviour can manifest in a number of ways.

“It can [range] from someone shouting at you in the middle of the night because they are very frustrated… to actual physical violence.

“I think it is something that we don’t address enough in terms of having a framework to tackle it when you are at work…. It can be very scary, especially if you are on your own.”

Dr Niall McNamara, a GP in Waterford and Occupational Health Physician at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, said he has observed increasing levels of violence in his role at the hospital.

“About 12 months ago, for the first time ever… some staff members… [were] referred up to me after being assaulted.” 

He said assaults had taken place just outside the hospital, with a racial motive involved in certain cases.

“The most recent of which was… where two staff members were walking and a group of youths came up and grabbed one around the neck, then kicked this nurse in the back,” he said.

“…. I asked her is this the first time this had happened to her. And she said ‘no’…. But this was the first time she had been actually physically assaulted.”

He praised An Garda Síochána for doing their “level best” on the issue.

However, Dr McNamara added: “We are not going to be able to staff our hospitals unless we are able to look after our staff properly.”

Former IMO President and Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr John Duddy noted that many emergency departments display signs on the wall stating abuse of staff will not be tolerated.

“Those signs do not live up to the experience we see as doctors and nurses in the emergency departments. We are far too tolerant of this kind of behaviour.”