Coventry and Warwickshire NHS trust starts campaign after staff abuse
- Published
Sandra Mogano said she had feared for her safety after receiving abuse from a patient who had missed an appointment
Hospital staff say they have been left in fear of their safety after a rise in abuse from patients.
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust has dealt with more than 600 attacks on staff during the pandemic.
Incidents include staff being spat at while a community midwife had her car egged while on a call.
A campaign against the violence has now begun with the trust saying it "will not tolerate abusive behaviour".
Body cameras are now being worn in A&E to deter aggressive patients
Sandra Mogano, a senior sister in the Covid-19 vaccination clinic at the trust, who has been a nurse for 40 years, said she thought about leaving the profession after a man who missed his appointment threatened her.
"He just started shouting at me, abusing me. I explained that he was 25 minutes late, he called me for everything, he was verbally abusive."
She said the experience had left her frightened to go to her car after her shift "because he had been threatening me what he was gonna do, he would find me, he'd find where I lived".
Body-worn cameras are now being worn in A&E to deter the more aggressive patients.
Elizabeth Buckley, a sister, said it made her feel safer as a deterrent "but also if anything does happen, the footage that we obtain can actually be used as evidence".
The hospital says it will not tolerate violence and intimidation towards staff.
Dr Ed Buckley, clinical director of emergency medicine, said: "Having equipment thrown across the room or holes punched through walls, being grabbed by the throat, that's not minor.
"We're not here to be your punchbag, we're not here to be on the receiving end of your frustrations and abuse."
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