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Calls for greater protection for NHS workers coming under attack in Tayside and Fife

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Attacks on NHS workers in Tayside and Fife are reducing but calls have been made to give them even greater protection.

Shadow health secretary Miles Briggs has warned those in the front line will continue to be at risk unless more is done to punish those responsible for attacking them.

Figures show 2,072 NHS Tayside staff and 5,333 NHS Fife workers were subjected to physical abuse in the past five years.

NHS Fife staff suffered 2.050 verbal attacks over the same period.

The figure in Tayside was 540.

Ninewells Hospital – run by NHS Tayside.

The data collated by the Scottish Conservatives shows the incidents of violence and aggression in Courier Country have been falling in the past five years.

Across Scotland fewer than 1.5% of physical assaults on NHS staff resulted in a conviction.

In 2017-18, the latest year for which figures are available, 190 people were convicted under the Emergency Workers Act.

Figures for the same year show there were 12,759 physical assaults recorded by health boards, which is the lowest rate in at least six years.

Anyone found guilty under the legislation faces up to a year in jail and a fine of up to £10,000.

For more serious incidents, the Crown Office may choose to pursue conviction of alternative common law offences, attracting higher penalties.

Mr Briggs said: “It would be unrealistic to expect all reports of NHS assaults to end up in the court room.

“But the fact just 1.5% of physical assaults result in a conviction is a real insult to our brave healthcare workers.

“These are caring professionals who put themselves on the line to protect us – the least they should expect is protection by the law.

“Progress on tackling violence against NHS staff will never be made unless we start getting tough on those responsible for it.

“As it stands, under this soft-touch SNP government, someone who attacks an NHS worker has nearly a 100% chance of getting away with it.”

In 2015-16 there were 1,438 incidents of physical abuse against NHS Fife staff which dropped to 1,201 in 2018-19.

In Tayside the figure was 666 in 2015-16 which decreased to 333 in 2018-19.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Any violence or aggression against NHS staff is absolutely unacceptable and we have made clear that boards should take appropriate action against those responsible.

“These figures cover a wide range of incidents and the conviction statistics relate only to prosecutions under the Emergency Workers Act, therefore excluding where serious attacks on staff may have been prosecuted using other offences such as assault, which allow for lengthier sentences.

“Police will investigate any allegation of criminal behaviour reported to them and, where appropriate, submit a report to the procurator fiscal who makes decisions about prosecutions.

“Where a prosecution proceeds, the court will determine in each case whether or not there should be a conviction based on all the facts before them.”

Policies are in place, supported by regular training and support for staff including employee assistance programmes, trauma counselling services and pastoral support.