Violence soars in Scottish hospitals as four people attacked every day

Statistics released under the Freedom of Information Act show there were about 1,600 recorded incidents of patient violence in hospitals across Scotland last year.

Since 2007, there have been 7,000 recorded attacks by violent patients on other patients, or members of staff.

The numbers have rocketed from 982 incidents in 2007, to 1,595 last year.

The statistics come a week after it was reported a pensioner was allegedly attacked at Wishaw General Hospital.

79-year-old Hugh Drummond, who suffers from dementia, is understood to have been smashed over the head and stabbed in the groin by a fellow patient as he lay sleeping in hospital.

Despite the high number of patient attacks in hospitals, police have only attended a small number of incidents.

In Lothian, police were called 20 times throughout 2010 and 2011, despite there being 810 incidents.

NHS Lanarkshire said attacks on patients and staff included scratching, punching, slapping, grabbing and throwing liquids, or other objects.

Grampian had the highest number of incidents over the five-year period.

In total, the health board recorded 2,668 attacks.

Lothian, which began to gather information in 2009, recorded 993.

Orkney was the only health board which had no incidents of patient violence over five years.

Margaret Ward, chairwoman for the Scotland Patient Association, said: “People go into hospital to get better, not to be subjected to assaults.

“For a long time we’ve said there should be security in hospitals – and these figures show exactly why.

“This could scare people off going into hospital, especially the elderly and the vulnerable.”

Former health minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Violence against anyone, whether staff, patients or visitors, is completely unacceptable.

“Hospitals have robust procedures in place to safeguard patients and staff. For example, the hospital security service can be called or the attendance of police requested.

“The vast majority of the thousands of patients who go through NHS in Scotland every year do so without incident, but we need to take tough action against those individuals who break the law.”

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: “These are alarming figures and show we need more emphasis on the safety of patients and staff.”

In January, Christopher Morris, 27, was jailed for five years for attacking fellow patient Neil Shand, at Aberdeen Royal Comhill Hospital, after stabbing his victim twice in the chest.

Five patients and two female workers were attacked by a patient at Newham General Hospital in London last year.

The patients were sleeping when they were attacked.