A SERIOUS assault on a member of staff at Jersey’s Emergency Department last month has heightened fears among frontline staff about the risk of violence at work.
The incident in the Emergency Department on 29 November is understood to have left the victim badly bruised and liable to be off work for several weeks.
States of Jersey Police confirmed that a man had been arrested in connection with the attack. A police spokesperson said: “An adult male was arrested on suspicion of common assault on 29 November. He has been released on bail pending further investigation.”
Employees are understood to be anxious about the level of support provided in cases where patients may become unruly, particularly in the wake of the conviction this summer of two paramedics for failing to provide adequate care after attending an emergency call.
One Hospital clinician said there had been an indication that the injured person may not return to work until after Christmas, and that staff were calling on management to support them.
The clinician added: “We’re pleased to learn that this incident has been reported to the police, but remain concerned about the risks faced when dealing with a very small minority of patients.
“We hope management will recognise this and work with us to review safety measures.”
The recent incident came less than three weeks after the launch of a campaign to highlight the impact of aggressive and intimidating behaviour on staff working for the ambulance service and other emergency responders.
The #WorkWithoutFear campaign was developed after 26 incidences of violence, aggression and intimidation aimed towards ambulance employees in the first ten months of 2024, up from 14 reported incidents during the whole of 2023 and seven in 2022.
A spokesperson for the Health Department said the safety of staff was an issue that was taken very seriously, adding: “Health and care staff should be able to go about their work without being subject to unacceptable behaviour.
“There are has a range of sanctions that can be taken against those who knowingly abuse our staff or patients, which in the most serious of instances can result in withdrawing routine treatment and only allowing the perpetrator to access emergency care.
“Any assaults on our staff while performing their duties will be reported to the States of Jersey Police.”
Asked about any changes that may be made as a result of the incident, the spokesperson said: “We continue to review our security arrangements to ensure the safety of our colleagues and patients.”
The risks faced by frontline staff have also been highlighted by police chief Robin Smith, who outlined an increased number of assaults of officers, notably spitting, when he appeared before the Children’s, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel in October.
He said: “I am concerned about the number of assaults; spitting in particular has an enormous impact and I believe we need to do more about there being an appropriate deterrent if someone is assaulted in the course of their duty.”
Home Affairs Minister Mary Le Hegarat said: “It’s something that really needs to be highlighted, but also the consequences of those actions need to be dealt with effectively.”
