§ 3.13 p.m.
§ Baroness Lane-FoxMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps are being taken to protect nurses against mugging and assault on their way to and from hospital and while on ward duty.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Security (Baroness Trumpington)My Lords, while realising that my noble friend's Question applies only to nurses, I wish to make clear that Her Majesty's Government take very seriously any form of violence or threat to all employees of the NHS, social security and social services.
Following a conference in December 1986, chaired by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State, a committee concerning violence to staff is being established. I am to chair it. Although its terms of reference have not yet been finalised, the committee will hope to identify and disseminate good practice and promote effective co-operation both nationally and locally.
§ Baroness Lane-FoxMy Lords, in thanking my noble friend the Minister for that very encouraging reply, and also in congratulating her on this new committee, perhaps I may ask what views she has on the success or otherwise of the present courses in self-protection, which surely must be important for nurses walking to and from hospitals.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I believe that there are many different methods which can be applied, and of course those will depend on the particular hospital, nursing home or community which the nurses are visiting or are working in or out of. Local health authorities have taken many different measures, including the employment of safety guards, the installation of closed circuit television and panic alarms, and rearranging duties in order to reduce waiting times. However, probably the most effective measure is proper training, reinforced at regular intervals, in the management of aggression.
§ Baroness CoxMy Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that a survey is currently being undertaken on the proportion of nurses suffering physical assault? In some areas it is remarkably and alarmingly high. For example, in accident and emergency departments perhaps as high as 80 per cent. or 90 per cent. of nurses suffer physical assault. Is my noble friend aware that this is a matter of great concern to the profession?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I am aware that the figures vary considerably. I also urge nurses to please come forward and report any incidents of violence, either physical or verbal, which they may have undergone, because it is very difficult for us to make a whole picture when we believe that many incidents are not reported.
§ Lord AveburyMy Lords, has the Minister noted over the holiday period the reports of violence and threatened violence by drunken hooligans in the 368 accident and emergency departments of our hospitals? Is the Minister satisfied that adequate measures are taken to protect the staff on duty, for example, on New Year's Eve? Is she satisfied that health authorities have the money, if they choose to spend it, for extra protective services for nurses and other staff on such occasions?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, funding is not a problem. Health authorities introduce security measures from within their existing resources. I would add that there are very many reasons for violence.
§ Baroness PhillipsMy Lords, does the Minister accept that one of the reasons for the violence which is increasingly perpetrated on people in their place of work is the leniency of the sentences imposed when the people responsible are caught? Does not the noble Baroness agree that her right honourable friend in the Home Office may be interested in that aspect?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, from my particular situation I can only take note of the remarks of the noble Baroness.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, for the benefit of those of us who have not followed this subject in detail, can my noble friend give an indication of the number of recent cases in which there has been mugging of nurses on ward duty, as mentioned in this Question? Who have committed those assaults? Is it the patients, visitors or unwelcome intruders?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I do not have the exact figures because, as I said, nurses do not always report cases of assault. They sometimes feel that it is all part of their job. I hope they will cease to think that and will come forward. I cannot remember the other part of my noble friend's question.
Lord Campbell of CroyMy Lords, I had only one question asking for an indication of the number of muggings occurring against staff on ward duty, as mentioned in the Question.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, as I said, it is impossible to give numbers owing to the indefinite information.
§ Lord AucklandMy Lords, bearing in mind that many of the victims of these assaults are young female student nurses, does not my noble friend consider that the use of more male nurses, where available, particularly in casualty wards and during holiday periods such as New Year's Eve, might reduce some of the problems? Can my noble friend say when this very welcome report of the Committee to be chaired by her right honourable friend is likely to be available?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, it is true that young, inexperienced nurses working in accident, emergency or psychiatric units, and also ambulance personnel, are among the most vulnerable. I feel that this is a matter for future recruitment, and I take note of my noble friend's remarks.
§ Baroness SeearMy Lords, perhaps I may be permitted to follow the question of the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Croy, as to who is doing the muggings. One fully understands that the noble Baroness cannot give us figures for cases which have not been reported. However, I take it that cases have been reported. Who are the people who carried out the attacks in those cases?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, there are so many different kinds of cases, and it should be remembered that everyone is capable of becoming aggressive. The majority of assaults on nurses take place at the hands of people under the influence of drink or are psychiatric patients.
§ Baroness Ewart-BiggsMy Lords, can the Minister say what kind of training in physical protection is undertaken by female members of the NHS? Do they have some training in judo, for instance?
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I think that again this depends on where the courses are held. There is some training given in the handling of aggression during the basic nurse training. Where local situations demand it, some health authorities are arranging further training for their staff. On a national basis, this month the NHS training authority is piloting a multidisciplinary training course on the handling of aggression.
§ Baroness Lane-FoxMy Lords, is my noble friend the Minister aware that in a report in The Times last week there was a suggestion that nurses were not made competent by the courses that they were receiving? This was largely the point of my Question. I wish to find out whether those courses can be checked upon and improved.
§ Baroness TrumpingtonMy Lords, I think that may be one of the questions that will be examined by the committee which I am to chair and which will have its first meeting at the end of this month. We shall certainly be looking into this aspect.