MSP Clare demands answers over latest hike in figures
Wishaw’s MSP has written to NHS Lanarkshire’s chief executive demanding answers following the shock figures on assaults on staff at the town’s hospital.
Clare Adamson described the attack on hard working staff as completely unacceptable and has written to the health board’s Calum Campbell in a bid to find out why there have been so many incidents in the past 12 months.
The official NHS Lanarkshire stats, obtained by the Wishaw Press through a Freedom of Information request, show that there were 394 assaults recorded at the hospital in 2016.
That figures is a sharp rise on the 318 attacks in 2015 and slightly higher than the 2014 figure of 374.
Ms Adamson said:“Assaults on our hardworking NHS staff are completely unacceptable.
“The Scottish Government have extended the Emergency Workers Act to include GP’s, nurses and midwifes practicing in the community, as well as hospital workers.’
“Health boards should work with trade union groups and staff to ensure that anyone who perpetrates an assault against NHS staff is pursued the full extent of the law.
“I have written to the chief executive of NHS Lanarkshire, Calum Campbell, to seek his views on why the figures have risen this year, after the previous reduction across NHS Lanarkshire.”