New legislation is being lined up to impose tougher penalties on drunken thugs who attack medical staff and nurses in Northern Ireland hospitals, it emerged today.
As a team of security guards began duty at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine, Co Derry, proposed laws will enable health trusts to take prosecutions.
Up until now it was up to the police acting on complaints by individuals to deal with violence in the hospitals' waiting and treatment rooms.
The Northern Ireland Office is considering Health Minister Michael McGimpsey's new legislation which is similar to that already operating in Scotland, and which will eventually have to be signed off by the power sharing Executive at Stormont.
But with alleged cases of assaults and abuse on medical and DHSS staff running at an estimated 6,000 a year bigger fines and jail sentences could be on the way.
Mr McGimpsey said today: "I think it will make a big difference in terms of bringing a lot more prosecutions. The introduction of zero tolerance has resulted in an increased reporting of incidents and we are getting a truer picture of where we are.
"But there are still too few prosecutions. However with the new system, we will have a much better chance of bringing more people before the courts and where appropriate, sent to prison."
Victims beaten up and traumatised will have the backing of Health Trusts which can initiate legal proceedings without having to depend on the police to take action.
Attacks on nursing staff, especially at weekends and traditional holiday periods, have risen to alarming new levels and the Causeway at Coleraine today became the latest hospital to call in security staff. They will work at night with plans in the future to have them on duty round the clock.
Money has also been allocated to end the delay in the introduction of personal alarms.
The minister who met with staff at the Causeway said later: "Any form of attack on healthcare staff is inexcusable and totally unacceptable. It is appalling to think that those who dedicate themselves to saving lives and to public service should be subject to verbal or physical abuse."
PA