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Article: Attacks increase in psychiatric wards; Leaked report reveals drink and drug users are terrorising patients and staff, but workers think it 'part of the job'
- Article from:
- The Sunday Herald
- Article date:
- April 25, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright 2004 The Sunday Herald. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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DRINK and drug abuse is causing a dramatic escalation of violence
against staff and patients in psychiatric wards.
A leaked report, commissioned by the Scottish Executive, found so
great was patients' concern that some had already asked for nurses to
be given extra powers to search fellow patients and visitors.
According to the report, which measured violence in Glasgow's 13
adult acute psychiatric wards, hundreds of instances, ranging from
verbal abuse to vandalism and physical assault, go unreported each
year.
Senior nurses from other health board areas have said the findings
reflect the situation in psychiatric units across Scotland.
There is mounting concern at the number of attacks ...