'So regular we are used to it': Rise of violence in hospitals prompts call for harsher penalties

A total of 1958 assaults occurred against hospital staff last year, according to data from 14 of the 20 DHBs, but the figure is likely to be much higher. Photo / Getty Images

Nearly 2000 hospital staff members say they were assaulted on the job last year and nurses want harsher penalties for people who attack frontline health workers.

The nurses' union said violence was now so commonplace in New Zealand hospitals that some staff felt it was part of the job and were no longer reporting it.

That meant the actual number of assaults was likely to be higher, the New Zealand Nurses Organisation said.

It wants law changes to impose more severe penalties on those who commit violent acts against nursing and hospital staff.

Information provided to the Herald by 14 out of 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) showed a total of 1958 assaults occurred against hospital staff in 2018 – slightly up from 1945 the year before and 1934 in 2016.

Canterbury DHB's records showed 2904 physical assaults on staff between 2015 and 2018. There were 569 recorded assaults last year.

One nurse, who spoke to the Herald on the condition he was not named, said he had been kneed in the groin by a patient trying to run away. He had not reported the attack.

"Sometimes, physical abuse is so regular most of us are used to it and have learned to ignore it when we can."

But there were many examples of nurses and hospital staff being assaulted on the job that did make headlines.

Last month, four nurses were assaulted during an incident at Hutt Hospital. In March, a nurse's collarbone was broken after suffering an assault after leaving work one night.

Every single assault is "one too many and completely unacceptable", Canterbury DHB chief people officer Michael Frampton told the Herald.

"We continue to confront the mental health and wellbeing impacts of the last nine years on the people of Canterbury."

But many of the DHB's facilities were "completely inadequate for the volume and complexity of care our staff are delivering", he said.

"Despite this, we are doing all we can within our operating and facility constraints to provide high-quality care and a safe environment for employees while new facilities are designed, approved and constructed."

Counties Manukau DHB – which is responsible for Middlemore Hospital – has recorded 2932 violent incidents since 2013.

Counties Manukau DHB - which is responsible for Middlemore Hospital (pictured above) - has recorded 2932 violent incidents against staff since 2013. Photo / File

This data represented all incidents, regardless of whether the victim was a staff member, patient or visitor.

The DHB employed more than 7000 staff and provided health services to almost 570,000 people in South Auckland.

There were 529 violent incidents last year – the highest number since 2013.

Most of the assaults, according to the data, were either physical assaults or aggressive and threatening behaviour.

However, a spokesperson from Counties Manukau DHB said the data included multiple reporting of the same event and that near-misses were also included in the numbers.

There were 44 cases of sexual assault since 2013 - none of which related to being sexual assaulted by another staff member.

The spokesperson said the safety of the DHB's staff was a priority and it was never acceptable when staff were involved in such matters.

The assault data from the DHBs did not specifically show how many nurses had been assaulted, rather all hospital staff.

But Nurses Organisation policy adviser Sue Gasquoine said both national and international evidence showed nurses were likely to be highly represented in these DHB assault figures.

"NZNO members are extremely concerned about how often they are assaulted and threatened in their place of work."

She highlighted that nurses who worked in emergency departments were particularly vulnerable to assaults.

Gasquoine said there were likely many more incidents of violent and aggressive behaviour that went unreported.

Nurses Organisation policy adviser Sue Gasquoine said nurses are extremely concerned about how often they are assaulted and threatened in their place of work. Photo / File

Adequate resourcing of the whole health sector would help to limit these types of incidents, she said.

The NZNO has called for a national campaign highlighting the issues of violence against nurses.

It also wants legislation which imposes greater accountabilities and penalties on those found guilty of perpetrating violence and aggression towards nurses and other health workers.

There is a bill before the House which would introduce new protections for first responders, such as the police and ambulance workers and firefighters.

Nurses do not fall into that category but Gasquoine said the bill should be expanded so they did.

Acting Health Minister Julie Anne Genter said everyone has a right to be safe at work, including staff working on the frontlines of our health system.

"The Government's mental health package includes $8 million directly allocated for improving the response to the approximately 15,000 people who present to emergency departments needing specialist mental health support each year."

She said the Government has also announced it will increase the numbers of frontline health staff to help relieve some of the pressure.

Acting Health Minister Julie Anne Genter said everyone has a right to be safe at work. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Data shows the problem exists at other DHBs across the country as well.

Between 2015 and 2018 there were 1929 assaults on Capital and Coast DHB staff members. There were 770 incidents of physical assaults against Bay of Plenty DHB staff between 2013 and 2018.

Over that same period, Northland DHB recorded 488 physical assaults on its staff.

Whanganui DHB recorded 303 assaults between 2016 and 2018.

There were 70 instances of assault against Hawke's Bay DHB staff between 2013 and 2018 – that number was 63 at Wairarapa DHB over the same time period.