Abuse and intimidation against staff at Waikato Hospital has forced the district health board to rally the community in a campaign to keep hospital workers safe.
Patients at Waikato Hospital are maltreating the same medical staff who are there to help them.
Injuries have been so severe that some staff have required emergency treatment or ended up in a hospital ward, says the Waikato District Health Board in a press release.
Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, health care assistants, attendants and reception staff at the hospital have been at the receiving end of bites, punches, kicks, spitting and abuse over the past twelve months.
The violence and intimidation has left some staff feeling demoralised and afraid.
To combat the abuse, the Health Board, supported by the Waikato Police and St John, has launched a zero tolerance campaign “It’s your choice of treatment,” based on a similar campaign in the United Kingdom.
Staff did not have to tolerate such behaviour, said Waikato District Health Board chief executive Craig Climo.
“I’m quite clear about that. It is unacceptable that caring Waikato DHB staff can be rewarded with intimidation and violence.”
Hospital staff are taking the campaign seriously.
Emergency department nurse manager Jenni Yeates said “When we discussed it with them and showed them the posters, there was a lot of emotion. It’s clear to us now that a lot of the violence and intimidation has gone unreported.
“What this campaign, and the support from within our own organisation and from Police and St John, should do is empower staff to say ‘enough is enough’.”
The hospital was hoping that the public would throw their support behind the staff as well.
Ms Yeates said she hoped the public would provide “peer” pressure by saying the behaviour towards hospital staff was inappropriate.
Waikato District Commander Superintendent Win Van Der Velde said hospital staff gave outstanding service to the region. “ There is no doubt that patients and their families are interacting with hospital staff at a stressful time.
“However a line needs to be drawn around behaviour that will not be tolerated and police will be there to help enforce that line.”
St John Regional Operations Manager Grant Pennycook says that staff and volunteers should report abuse to the police.
He said ambulance officers make allowances for distraught patients and onlookers, which can run high in emergencies, but the organisation did not tolerate assaults on staff.
“It is important to emphasise to the public that those who are trying to help the public should be able to get on with their jobs without violence or abuse and we support the DHB with this campaign,” said Mr Pennycook.
Patients at Waikato Hospital are maltreating the same medical staff who are there to help them.
Injuries have been so severe that some staff have required emergency treatment or ended up in a hospital ward, says the Waikato District Health Board in a press release.
Doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers, health care assistants, attendants and reception staff at the hospital have been at the receiving end of bites, punches, kicks, spitting and abuse over the past twelve months.
The violence and intimidation has left some staff feeling demoralised and afraid.
To combat the abuse, the Health Board, supported by the Waikato Police and St John, has launched a zero tolerance campaign “It’s your choice of treatment,” based on a similar campaign in the United Kingdom.
Staff did not have to tolerate such behaviour, said Waikato District Health Board chief executive Craig Climo.
“I’m quite clear about that. It is unacceptable that caring Waikato DHB staff can be rewarded with intimidation and violence.”
Hospital staff are taking the campaign seriously.
Emergency department nurse manager Jenni Yeates said “When we discussed it with them and showed them the posters, there was a lot of emotion. It’s clear to us now that a lot of the violence and intimidation has gone unreported.
“What this campaign, and the support from within our own organisation and from Police and St John, should do is empower staff to say ‘enough is enough’.”
The hospital was hoping that the public would throw their support behind the staff as well.
Ms Yeates said she hoped the public would provide “peer” pressure by saying the behaviour towards hospital staff was inappropriate.
Waikato District Commander Superintendent Win Van Der Velde said hospital staff gave outstanding service to the region. “ There is no doubt that patients and their families are interacting with hospital staff at a stressful time.
“However a line needs to be drawn around behaviour that will not be tolerated and police will be there to help enforce that line.”
St John Regional Operations Manager Grant Pennycook says that staff and volunteers should report abuse to the police.
He said ambulance officers make allowances for distraught patients and onlookers, which can run high in emergencies, but the organisation did not tolerate assaults on staff.
“It is important to emphasise to the public that those who are trying to help the public should be able to get on with their jobs without violence or abuse and we support the DHB with this campaign,” said Mr Pennycook.
