Northland hospital staff assaults increase due to Covid, more reporting

A near-death from strangulation and brain injuries are some of the horrors endured by Northland DHB workers as assaults on staff spike.

More than 1000 working days were lost last year as staff recovered at home from assaults that many are saying partly stem from the stresses of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Northland DHB workplace violence prevention manager Eliza Wallace said Covid-19, and the resulting restrictions, have played a role in the high number of violent incidents reported.

"We believe that the Covid-19 restrictions have caused frustration across the services and the community are tired and less tolerant."

There were 225 physical assaults on Northland DHB staff in 2021 alone, a big rise from 143 in 2017, and 40 in 2012.

Wallace said there had been a large increase in the reporting of assaults since 2019, largely due to increased staff awareness.

Whangārei PSA organiser Mark Furey says people are "tipping over really easily" in the current environment of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"I think people are treating each other quite a bit worse at the moment, in the current environment, but that's not an excuse and it's never acceptable."

He said there have been multiple incidents of brain injuries from workplace assaults on hospital staff, and a near-death from choking.

Increasing use of drugs such as methamphetamine was also a factor in rising assaults, Furey said.

Assaults were particularly frequent in the mental health unit and dementia ward, he said, although they had been reported across all parts of the hospital.

The DHB has rolled out a workplace violence prevention plan, Wallace said, with an advisory group meeting regularly to discuss issues and potential changes.

"The increase in the reporting of workplace violence is a positive sign that enables a clearer understanding of what staff are experiencing, strengthening the ability to track trends and therefore develop comprehensive WVP [Workplace Violence Prevention] plans."

"A significant change has occurred in terms of a growing confidence with staff in terms of responding to and managing workplace violence which is evident in the [workplace violence] reports."

The Workplace Violence Prevention advisory group was started in 2017 to support staff, and help cut down on workplace violence, Wallace said.

Northland NZNO organiser Julie Governor. Photo / File

The number of reported assaults jumped from 94 in 2016 to 143 in 2017 after the new reporting system and violence programme was brought in.

Measures put in place to mitigate violence included a three-month trial of safety devices for rural and remote lone working and a six-month trial of onsite counselling.

Staff training in violence prevention was also a large part of the programme.

NZNO Northland organiser Julie Governor said violence was an ongoing issue and a concern for members, but she had not heard of more assaults last year than usual.

"That tells me it is getting dealt with on the work side. Maybe the message is getting through to report it."

The feedback from nurses going through the Northland DHB's violence prevention training is overwhelmingly positive, Governor said.

She had heard of nurses whose careers had been ended by assaults, however.

"I do know for some it's that fear of going to work - how do you go back in and not have that affect you. I guess it knocks your confidence a bit."

In addition to the physical assaults reported, there were 108 incidents of verbal abuse or threats, and 1105 working days were lost due to physical assaults.