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The HSE has recorded 11 aggressive incidents against staff and patients A DAY since 2012

22,402 ‘incidents of harm’ have been put on record since January 2012.

shutterstock_725305216 File photo Shutterstock / Saruntorn Chotchitima Shutterstock / Saruntorn Chotchitima / Saruntorn Chotchitima

THE HSE HAS recorded 22,402 aggressive incidents against staff and patients since 2012.

New figures released to the Medical Independent show that the figures have actually been on a downward trend in recent years, with 1,393 such ‘incidents of harm’ being recorded thus far in 2017.

The statistics have been captured by the State Claims Agency via the National Incident Management System (NIMS).

The figures for recent years are:

  • 2012 – 4,573
  • 2013 – 4,484
  • 2014 – 5,372
  • 2015 – 3,743
  • 2016 – 2,837

Since 2010, over 10,000 HSE staff have received training in the management of violence and aggression, according to a spokesperson.

“Notably, despite increases in patient numbers since 2014, the data shows an apparent fall in the number of reported injuries from incidents of this type,” the spokesperson told the Medical Independent.

The HSE has had a policy on the management of work-related aggression and violence in place since 2014.

Training in the management of such violent incidents is generally procured locally.

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    Mute Eimear O'Flaherty
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    Oct 19th 2017, 12:09 AM

    I’m sure the figures are much higher, staff are too busy to fill out incident reports. I know from experience.

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    Mute Fiona deFreyne
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    Oct 18th 2017, 10:54 PM

    That is truly frightening.

    I had to attend A&E when my father in law had a heart attack. It was a Friday night at 11,30PM. I saw drunk and drugged males, mainly young, thtrestening and attacking nurses and junior Doctors. I was badly scared.

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    Mute Andrew Corrigan
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    Oct 19th 2017, 12:07 AM

    part of the job in social care main stream and most disability services,its called care in the community close asylums and pay private companies a fortune to mind them by 18 yo colledge grad girls in residential settings,its theequivilant of putting a square peg in a round hole

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    Mute nick mullen
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    Oct 19th 2017, 12:19 AM

    @Andrew Corrigan: It is too expensive to keep someone who has mental health problems in an institution so ask them to take their medication every day in what they call care in the community

    17
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Oct 19th 2017, 12:50 AM

    @nick mullen: It doesn’t sound like prescription medication to me, what Michael/Fiona was describing. Scary enough to be waiting with someone seriously ill while you’re healthy and could leave. The staff must be sick of this carry-on.

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    Mute John Scott
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    Oct 19th 2017, 8:14 AM

    @Andrew Corrigan: look at Oberstown it is a joke of a place.. Give it back to Prison Officers. Patting on head don’t work

    11
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    Mute Aine O Connor
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    Oct 19th 2017, 4:37 AM

    Drunks and Drug addicts on a Saturday night should be fined for causing hassle and assaulting staff and other genuine patients both verbally and physically just because of their own irresponsible behavior.A&E is for sick people .

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    Mute Inanimate Carbon Rod
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    Oct 19th 2017, 2:52 AM

    Some members of the HSE still boxing the head off old people

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    Mute Stewart O Neill
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    Oct 19th 2017, 6:39 AM

    Even non staff members get hit or puched or in a case i know head butted. There aint enough staff to monitor every patient.

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    Mute John Scott
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    Oct 19th 2017, 8:11 AM

    Another number from a government body. Don’t believe them. I know staff are far to busy to be filling in another paper trail. After all some managers think it you job. That is a reality.

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    Mute YouHaveGotToBeJoking
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    Oct 19th 2017, 9:10 AM

    Is it anger or frustration? I can understand the hostile attitude but you have to feel for the front line workers. It is not on. It is nobodies fault but the government.

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    Mute AP
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    Oct 19th 2017, 11:19 AM

    Throw them out of the hospital and that’s it….. unless there’s a physiological reason for behaviour ….. out the door!! People’s sense of entitlement have them acting like morons in some cases but if everybody knew being a moron means no treatment they would pull their horns in sharpish!!!

    12
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