QMC recorded 1,800 incidents of aggression, violence and harassment during 2022-23. Notting University Hospital recorded 1,806 incidents. Staff have been hit, spat at, threatened, verbally and racially abused. What are some of the main triggers for the abuse of staff: Treating drunks Rival gangs People high on drugs People with mental health problems Homeless people, seeking a place of warmth … Read more
The recent BBC Disclosure programme, shown on 5th February 2024, brought to light the need for continued expertise and experience in preventing and managing aggressive behaviours. The programme featured the review into one of Scotland’s most high-profile deaths in prison custody (2015) cases at the Fatal Accident Inquiry which followed. Physical intervention is a very contentious issue and will always … Read more
I am sure that you are aware of the Great British Post Office Scandal. It has been described by the Criminal Cases Review Commission as “the most widespread miscarriage of justice ever seen and represents the biggest single series of wrongful convictions in British legal history”. The Post Office is owned by the Government and it is a unique institution … Read more
As reported in the New York Times on the 11th October 2023, “California has become the first US state to ban the use of “excited delirium” as a cause of death, rejecting a term that prominent medical associations have said is rooted in bias and is often used to justify the deaths of people in police custody”. The New York … Read more
Following on from yesterdays LinkedIn post Stress, let’s look into how and why the network of nerves sends messages to parts of the body. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems work together, delicately balancing our physiological reactions to external stimuli. These systems, sometimes described as the gas and brake pedals of our body, play a crucial role in maintaining equilibrium … Read more
We use well known phrases like the Health & Safety Executives (HSE) definition of work-related violence… Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work, whether the behaviours are explicit or implicit in nature or design, is a reportable incident. What does the HSE’s Definition Mean to You? These incidents are not … Read more
Violence against shop workers is a pervasive issue. According to a survey conducted by the British Retail Consortium, there were around 455 incidents of violence or abuse towards retail staff each day in the UK. That means there are over 160,000+ reported incidents per year, that’s before we start thinking about the un-reported incidents. Why are some (lots according to … Read more
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) is a teacher trade union representing over 80% of all teachers across nursery, primary and secondary education in Scotland. They launched the Stand Up for Quality Education (SU4QE) campaign at their AGM in June 2023. The campaign has 3 key priority areas which call for: Build the skills, resources and school culture to address … Read more
In today’s dynamic and hectic work environments, ensuring the health and safety of employees must be of paramount importance for employers. The Health & Safety Executive previously produced data in 2020 that outlined the prevalence of aggression and violence affecting businesses and workforces across the UK. Approximately 688,000 incidents of aggression and violence were reported in the workplace in England … Read more
A veteran paramedic ambulance worker who was assaulted by a 14 year-old was awarded £49,000 by an industrial tribunal after he was wrongfully dismissed for gross misconduct by his employer for allegedly assaulting a 14 year old who had attacked him. In August 2021 Mr Edwards, a senior paramedic with 18 years service was attending a call. It involved … Read more