YEP says: Assaults on NHS staff in Leeds should not be “all in a day’s work”.

It is inevitable that emotions could be running high, that people will be under the influence of drink and drugs, or in severe distress. Perhaps it is also inevitable then that they occassionaly come under attack - but this should never be accepted as a “all in a day’s work”. Figures the YEP reveals today show an increase in assaults, both physical and non-physical, on NHS staff across the teaching hospitals of Leeds. We are not just talking about those dealing with the emergencies. Another alarming aspect is that the number of mental health related attacks more than doubled to 83 last year. There will be a number of underlying reasons for these assaults and attacks and not all of them could be predicted or prevented but NHS staff should have an expectatin of some protection in their work.

It was backbench Halifax MP Holly Lynch that introduced a bill which eventually changed legislation on those that attack our emergency workers. The Protect the Protectors Law came into force in November.

A shift spent with West Yorkshire Police led Ms Lynch to realise greater protection was needed for them, perhaps MPs would like to spend a day with staff on a Leeds hospital ward?