There were over 25 assaults on HSE staff every day in 2022, new figures show – TheLiberal.ie – Our News, Your Views

There were over 25 assaults on HSE staff every day in 2022, new figures show




Astonishing new figures show there were nearly 9,300 attacks on HSE workers last year – an average of over 25 a day.

Data provided to the Irish Mirror under the Freedom of Information Act shows 6,844 physical and 2,371 verbal attacks.

There were also 40 sexual assaults.

The total for 2022 – 9,255 – represents a 9 percent increase from 2021, when 8,478 were registered, reports The Mirror.

In the past year, nurses have been hardest hit. Almost half of the attacks resulted in casualties, with 4,595 officially reported.

Lifeline Ambulance Service chief executive David Hall says the numbers are “very disturbing”.

“There’s two categories of assault. “One are thugs. Then there are unfortunately a smaller number of unwell patients who have violent episodes, and that’s very tragic and a risk involved in the job. But, for the thugs, and those who are misbehaving, especially who do so on a repeated basis, there must be compulsory sentences,” he said, reports The Mirror.

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