Garda patrols help reduce assaults on hospital staff

GARDA patrols in hospitals have helped reduce the number of attacks on hospital staff.

It’s estimated that more than two violent assaults take place every week in hospitals, with a far greater number of incidents of verbal abuse.

The statistics show that half of hospital staff are victims of, or threatened with, violence at work. Those in areas such as accident and emergency wards and psychiatric hospitals face an even higher risk.