Almost two-thirds of assaults that were reported to the HSE in the first three months of 2023 involved nurses and midwives, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has highlighted.

According to the latest figures, 848 nurses and midwives were assaulted in the first quarter of this year – 62% of all assaults reported in this period. The INMO insisted that “no other profession sees this level of abuse levelled at them”.

“The continued acceptance of intolerable hospital overcrowding is creating an environment in our hospitals that is allowing physical, verbal and sexual assault against our members to manifest,” commented INMO general secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha.

She said that the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) needs to be equipped with the resources to tackle this issue in healthcare settings.

“Once again this week, the INMO has called for more inspections and prosecutions of employers who fail to keep staff safe. There must be a dedicated division established within the HSA to deal directly with the health service,” Ms Ní Sheaghdha insisted.

The INMO recently welcomed legislation that will increase the maximum sentences for the assault of frontline workers. However, Ms Ní Sheaghdha noted that “more needs to be done to enhance the safety of our members and their colleagues in their workplaces”.

“We need to see an up-to-date and actionable security review across all hospital sites. Assault prevention and de-escalation measures must be strengthened. It must be made clear that once you step foot in a hospital, there is zero tolerance for any kind of verbal, physical or sexual assault,” she said.