Susan Deacon opened the conference Ms Deacon promised further help when the Scottish Executive publishes its new occupational health and safety strategy next month. The paper will tackle a broad range of issues, with a view to providing a safer environment for those who care for others The government last month launched a zero tolerance campaign to combat violence against NHS staff. The campaign is designed to urge staff to report violence and tell the public that they should not stand by and watch it happen. Information packs telling managers how to make working conditions safer for staff are also being distributed to hospitals. The cost of violence against staff is great.
Victims can suffer physical and pyschological pain.
Confidence can be irrevocably dented and stress levels rise. Assaults in the NHS are the third most common cause of injury to staff, after falls and slips and needlestick accidents. Last year 65,000 NHS employees were attacked. For every 1,000 people working for the NHS seven of them are attacked each month. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.