Loutishness now the norm in A&Es, say health staff
DEALING with drunken and abusive behaviour has become an “inevitable part of the job” for health workers in emergency departments, staff say.
It comes after the PSNI compared the A&Es of Antrim Area and Craigavon Area Hospitals to “an EastEnders Christmas special meets Jeremy Kyle” after 19 officers were deployed to support staff.
The officers had been taken from regular policing duties to help medics deal with people who were drunk or high on drugs.
The Northern Trust, which manages Antrim Area Hospital, said loutish behaviour was an unfair burden on workers.
“Staff in Antrim Area Hospital emergency department work extremely hard, giving the best care to all those presenting to the department, and they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect,” it said.
“Unfortunately this isn’t always the case, which is completely unacceptable.
“An inevitable part of the job, especially at the weekends, is treating people who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs and display aggressive behaviour.
“This makes an already pres- sured job more difficult. The safety of those in the emergency department is always our top priority and when necessary we call the PSNI to make sure we do our best to support our staff and keep them and our service users safe.”
Rita Devlin, acting deputy director of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Violence in our emergency departments, particularly at the weekend, is a continuing problem.
❝ It is distressing for staff and also for other patients, who can be very ill and vulnerable
“Not only is it distressing for staff, who are often the victims of either physical or verbal abuse, but it is distressing for other patients waiting in the department, who can be very ill and vulnerable.”
The Southern Trust said it had a security team at Craigavon Area Hospital, but calls are also made to the PSNI “to assist with cases we are unable to manage”.
SDLP health spokesman Mark H Durkan said drunken behaviour “put extra strain on staff working in an already difficult situation, as well as wasting police resources”. POLICE have issued a warning to drink-drivers after a woman escaped death when her car overturned in a smash.
She was almost four times over the limit, officers said.
The crash happened on Ballymacombs Road near Magherafelt just after 9.40pm on Sunday.
The 54-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of driving with excess alcohol.
Police said she was lucky not to kill or be killed.
A post on the PSNI’s Magherafelt Facebook page said: “Yet again we find ourselves picking up the pieces after another selfish drunk got behind the wheel and drove.
“How we aren’t picking up the pieces of a broken family or families is simply a miracle.
“As if this wasn’t bad enough the driver then left the scene with the assistance of others in the hope they wouldn’t get caught. A nearby crew tracked their movements and arrested the driver some distance away from the scene.”
The PSNI reiterated that drink-driving puts lives at risk.
“It’s pathetic that we have to continually post about drink-drivers in this district,” it added.
“If you drink and drive we will catch you. Our focus is catching you before you become a killer.
“If you are in any doubt that you’ll be caught pay a visit to Magherafelt Court on any sitting and you’ll see for yourself how relentless we are at catching these individuals.”
Last month the PSNI revealed that more than 300 drink-drivers were detected in the run-up to and over Christmas, including one aged just 14.