Nurse will die if attacks on staff continue, warns MLA

A nurse will end up dead unless attacks on medical staff in the North are stopped, it was claimed today.

The warning followed attacks on two nurses by two women who burst into the A&E at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine.

New figures out today reveal that almost 3,300 staff linked to medical and emergency services in the North were physically and verbally abused between April and September last year.

In the aftermath of the latest violence in Coleraine where a computer was also smashed, the East Derry SDLP MLA John Dallat claimed: "Something must be done before someone is killed."

He said: "The hospital has a zero tolerance policy, but this is useless if there is no-one there to enforce it and lessons should have been learned from the past when nurses were attacked.

"It is a sad reflection on society that our front-line staff saving lives need security staff but that is reality. It is a fact that some people, often crazed on drink and drugs frequent A&E departments on a regular basis making life hell for those who work there."

He said it is ironic that other public buildings have ample security staff while the most vulnerable are not protected.

"In Stormont there are more than a hundred security staff, one of them guarding the statue of Lord Craigavon all day and yet the most vulnerable people in the A&E Department of our local hospital have no protection at all."

"This is made even more embarrassing by the fact that panic alarms, which were purchased in 2005, have never been distributed."

Mr Dallat also challenged Health Minister Michael McGimpsey to make more money available if budget constraints are found to be a cause.

Mr McGimpsey said attacks on healthcare staff were appalling and vowed to use the full rigour of the law to stop violence.

He added: "In June 2007 I launched a Zero Tolerance publicity campaign aimed at raising awareness and reinforcing the message that violence against healthcare staff will not be tolerated.

"Consideration is also being given to the creation of new legislation in Northern Ireland which will provide health and social care staff with added protection from attack."