- Conference
- 2003 Health Care Service Group Conference
- Date
- 1 December 2002
- Decision
- Carried
This Conference believes that it is unacceptable for NHS staff to go to work and to be exposed to unnecessary risks of violence.
Conference welcomes the Scottish Health Committee’s Zero Tolerance Campaign against NHS staff being assaulted at work. In particular Conference notes the 6 point action plan:
1.The Scottish Health Minister and NHS trade unions jointly issue a Staff Charter, reminding the public that it is not part of an NHS worker’s job to be physically or verbally abused at work;
2.The standardisation throughout Scotland of the definition, recording and follow up of violent and potentially violent incidents for all NHS staff;
3.An agreed training course on the management of violent or potentially violent incidents for all NHS staff and the introduction of new technology where appropriate;
4.The introduction of a ‘yellow and red card’ warning system to members of the public who constantly abuse NHS staff. These warnings could lead to the banning of individuals from NHS premises if they persistently physically or verbally abuse staff;
5.Relatives who physically abuse NHS staff must be automatically charged and prosecuted by the Procurator Fiscal;
6. Every Health Service Worker in Scotland has a duty of care to her/himself and to her/his colleagues, to use the reporting system for every incident, and accept and expect that zero tolerance is not just the preferred but the only option.
While this campaign is relatively new, the Scottish Health Committee recognises that it will be ongoing. Therefore, Conference asks to be updated on this campaign through the Scottish representatives to the Service Group Executive.”