There have been nearly 100 assaults on medical staff in Powys over the last two years according to recently released statistics.
In information released by Powys Teaching Health Board, they revealed that there were 97 physical assaults on NHS staff since 2021, with almost half leading to a physical injury.
A statement released by Powys Teaching Health Board said that “violence and aggression against NHS staff will not be tolerated” but that “sadly over the last two years (April 2021 to March 2023) our staff have experienced 97 physical assaults of which 46 resulted in physical injury”.
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The figures include intentional acts of harm by patients and visitors, as well as assaults involving medical factors – where the individual is not aware or in control of their actions due to ill health.
A spokesperson for Powys Teaching Health Board said: “We ask everyone to please treat NHS staff with respect. Assault is not part of the job. It is a crime. If you assault a member of NHS staff today, then who will treat your loved ones tomorrow?
“We aim to provide all NHS staff with a safe work environment that protects them from harm.
“This includes preventing violence and aggression from happening in the first place. We learn from best practice, we undertake risk assessments of our working environment, and we provide training and support for staff.
They added that they are working together across NHS organisations and with the police, Crown Prosecution Service and unions through the NHS Wales Anti Violence Collaborative.
The spokesperson added that Powys Teaching Health Board are encouraging staff to report incidents and learn from them – “We encourage all health board staff to make sure that incidents are recorded and reported, we support staff who are affected, and we take steps to prevent recurrence.”
“Taking action against individuals where appropriate. This could include entering a voluntary agreement with the patient to treat staff with respect at all times. In some cases it will involve police action and prosecution.
“We have a dedicated lead officer for the prevention and management of violence and aggression who can support staff as well as managers. Alongside this, wider support is available from line managers, occupational health, health & safety, and our quality and safety team.”
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