Risk factor for health care staff

September 25

In a surprising study it was found that a major portion of NHS staff are victims of verbal or physical abuse. The figures states that over 20,000 such cases are reported each year in which doctors, nurses and other hospital workers have to face the aggression, ill-treatment and anger of people. Though the figures show on an average, 400 staff a week in Scotland suffer from violence and abuse. These figures may likely go higher as many more cases do happen to GPs and other workers.

The matter came into limelight after one of the Glasgow GP Dr Helen Jacklson became a victim of this violence. She was stabbed three times in the stomach while working in her surgery last month. This eye raising stats has made Scottish government to take this irregularity in a serious way. The government has assured to provide tough sentences to the person who assaults health staff and GPs.

This type of treatment done these health staff by people is due to the loss of respect towards the health staffs. The matter is very pity and actions should do made to combat. If one looks what the figures have to say, it will be a shocking stats, it states that about 20,800 such attacks and incidents of aggressions are reported in the 14 health boards of Scotland. These figures are far higher than the last years report, while there are many incidents which go unreported.

According to Dr Marshall (Chairman of British Medical Association’s Scottish GPs committee) the sudden change in the behaviour of people towards doctors and other medical staff the fall of the level of respect people use to give to the doctors.

GPs, as independent contractors employed by health boards, are also not obliged to report attacks to a central database, making it impossible to gauge the true extent of the problem. The society has transformed a lot people have gone far, from the time when the profession like doctor was respected a lot and now when its not followed.