STAFF in hospital emergency departments are being subjected to almost daily violent physical and verbal attacks.
The latest available figures obtained on the number of people charged with assaulting staff working in A&E departments across the north reveal more than five attacks each week.
The figures, released by the Department of Health to East Derry assembly member John Dallat following an assembly question, revealed details of the prosecutions.
However, the department said it is impossible to say what the outcome of cases was because "details of the number relating to health and social care staff cannot be separated from the overall figures held by the Public Prosecution Service or the PSNI".
"It is also important to note that prosecutions must be taken forward by the individual employee, not by the employer," it added.
Incidents of verbal and physical attacks on staff are recorded by the department on a six monthly basis.
Mr Dallat called for an "urgent... root and branch examination of this antiquated legislation which hardly seems appropriate for prosecuting troublemakers 125 years later".
"It is interesting to note that prosecutions must be taken forward by individuals and not the employer," he said.
"This surely puts extreme pressure on staff to take on the full responsibility for prosecutions and clearly leaves them vulnerable to all kinds of intimidation and threats.
"One thing is for sure 292 attacks on staff is not acceptable and I was disappointed I could not be told how many of these received custodial sentences.
"From my own investigations I note that many do get suspended sentences but to many that is not a deterrent at all and needs to be reviewed."
The Northern health trust, whose Antrim and Causeway hospitals between them accounted for 75 of the assaults, insisted "in line with the (department), the trust has a zero tolerance policy towards violence to staff".
"As employers we are not prepared to tolerate abuse of or attacks on our staff," a spokesman said.
"We have a team of highly capable and skilled employees who provide care for our patients and clients. We want to ensure they work in an environment where they can deliver high quality compassionate care to all our patients and clients without hindrance or fear of abuse.
"Since mid-2015, a security guard has been based within the emergency department (ED) at Antrim Area Hospital to reduce the likelihood of there being incidents of violence and aggression.
"The trust has also introduced a formal policy whereby additional security presence can be obtained where necessary, for incidents on hospital wards, so that the security guard does not spend prolonged periods away from the ED."
1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015
Verbal & Physical Attacks
Royal Victoria Hospital 68
Antrim Area Hospital 64
Craigavon Area Hospital 43
Mater Hospital 30
Ulster Hospital 25
Daisy Hill Hospital 23
Altnagelvin Hospital 13
Causeway Hospital 11
South West Acute Hospital 10
Lagan Valley Hospital 4
Bangor Community Hospital 1
