600 staff attacked per year in HSE hospitals

More than 600 hospital staff are assaulted each year, with nurses bearing the brunt of workplace violence.

Figures released to the Irish Examiner under the Freedom of Information Act show 3,462 incidents of physical assaults were recorded by the HSE between January 1, 2011, and July 27, 2016.

The overall figure is much higher once voluntary hospitals are taken into account, but these figures are not compiled by the HSE.