AQW 3422/09


Mrs Naomi Long
Alliance Party
East Belfast


Tabled Date: 09/12/2008
Answered On Date: 23/12/2008
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (i) how many assaults were carried out against health care officials, in the current year in each Health and Social Care Trust as well as the comparable figures for the previous year; (ii) how many prosecutions were pursued as a result of an assault on a health care official; and how many prosecutions were successful; (iii) what support and assistance were given by his Department to health care officials who have suffered an assault; and (v) what assistance is provided to health care officials who wish to prosecute a person who carried out an assault against them.


Answer:
The number of physical and verbal attacks over the previous two years.
2008/2009*
2007/2008
Physical
Verbal
Physical
Verbal
Northern Health and Social Care Trust
556
188
889
331
Southern Health and Social Care Trust
324
171
385
320
South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust
237
67
973
234
Western Health and Social Care Trust
368
190
618
272
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
690
310
1372
580
Northern Ireland Ambulance Services Health and Social Care Trust
38
38
82
56
Others
0
1
0
8
Totals
2213
965
4319
1793
3178
6120
* Figures are collected by the Department on a six monthly basis. The figures for 2008/2009 reflect the period from 1st April 2008 to 30 September 2008
Prosecution statistics collected by the Public Prosecution Service do not distinguish healthcare workers as a specific category. Trusts have Zero Tolerance policies in place that indicate that support will be provided by line management following the report of an assault. Similar arrangements are in place to support staff in the event that a prosecution is appropriate.