Hospital Staff Face Violence and Abuse

The nurses at a hospital have been attacked and verbally abused by young patients and their families. Since April, there have been numerous incidents of violence and abuse towards staff, including a patient who tore a television from a wall and broke a sink. Many employees are now taking sick leave due to the violence.

Incidents of Violence

There were 13 incidents in May and 7 in June related to patient behavior that damaged themselves or others. Five employees or other patients and family members were attacked in May, and another four were attacked in June. The hospital has no adolescent psychiatric unit, and the children’s unit is often the only place where children and young people with complex medical and mental needs can receive care up to the age of 18.

Closure of Adolescent Unit

The Avon and Wiltshire mental health partnership closed the Riverside inpatient unit in February 2024 as a "temporary measure". However, the continued closure means that the hospital has to do its best to deal with teenagers suffering from psychiatric conditions. The unit provides care for children up to the age of 18, and the hospital has no alternative youthful psychiatric unit.

Staff Concerns

The nurses at the hospital are concerned about the violence and abuse they face. One nurse said, "We kept saying what it would take? Nevertheless, nothing has changed. It will take for a child to be injured." The nurses feel that some incidents are not treated seriously enough, and they are often told that the children are uncomfortable, so they have to tell the police that they feel they are doing wrong against the child.

Lack of Support

The nurses feel that they are not getting enough support from the hospital management. They described how they had to deal with a young person who was taking an overdose and escalated her behavior as long as she was looked after by three nurses from the registered psychiatric authority. The behavior escalated, and she attacked nurses and security staff. The nurses feel that the managers have done very little to prevent the situation, apart from introducing a "safe space" that has not yet been opened.

National Problem

The Royal College of Nursing said that it is a national problem, and the trust is providing local provision. There is no further determination for these young people, which is why it is very difficult at the hospital. Children with physical health difficulties, young people with diseases and procedures need a bright, distracting fun environment, while children and young people with mental health need the opposite, a very dark environment.

Hospital Response

The hospital trust said that they have individual rooms that offer privacy and separation between age groups, together with two committed rooms for patients with a mental health crisis. They plan to recruit specialists for mental health so that they have the know-how to better support children and adolescents with severe needs for mental health. The hospital said that it is unacceptable that NHS employees are exposed to violence and abuse, and they do everything they can to protect their employees, patients, and visitors. They offer their employees a package for mental health that includes debriefing sessions and advisory services.