Home / Health / NI Health Staff Face Epidemic of Abuse
NI Health Staff Face Epidemic of Abuse
12 Jan
Summary
- Over 70,000 instances of abuse against healthcare staff reported in five years.
- Belfast Health and Social Care Trust recorded over 21,000 physical abuse incidents.
- Craigavon Area Hospital saw over 5,500 physical abuse cases in one hospital.
Healthcare staff in Northern Ireland have been subjected to over 70,000 incidents of abuse in the past five years, according to recent figures. This encompasses nearly 60,000 physical assaults and over 13,000 verbal attacks.
The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust recorded the highest number of incidents, with more than 21,000 cases of physical abuse against its staff. Craigavon Area Hospital, part of the Southern Health and Social Care Trust, experienced the most physical abuse cases in a single hospital, exceeding 5,500.
These figures highlight the significant challenges faced by health professionals. Calls are being made for appropriate punishment for perpetrators to deter future incidents and for a deeper analysis into the impact of such abuse on staff well-being and service capacity.
