The need for close and coordinated cooperation between the State Health Services Organisation (OKYPY), the Police and the Health Ministry to prevent and address hospital violence against healthcare professionals was highlighted by OKYPY spokesperson Charalambos Charilaou.
Speaking to Sigma’s “Protoselido” programme, Charilaou said that although a small decrease has been recorded, violence in hospitals, particularly in Accident and Emergency Departments (A&Es), remains a concern.
Focus on prevention and response
Charilaou said the aim is not necessarily to eliminate every incident, but to strengthen prevention mechanisms so that early signs of potentially aggressive behaviour, whether verbal or physical, can be identified.
According to Charilaou, efforts will focus on two main areas: prevention and response.
As part of prevention measures, the possible installation of cameras in hospital areas is being examined in cooperation with the Commissioner for Personal Data Protection.
Special training is also planned for special police officers, security guards and OKYPY staff, in cooperation with the Police Academy and other experts.
Violence incidents to be monitored
A cooperation protocol with the Police will also be developed, while a register for recording incidents of violence will be established.
The data will be assessed every three months to determine whether incidents are increasing or decreasing and, importantly, where within hospitals they are occurring.
Charilaou noted that most incidents are recorded in Accident and Emergency Departments, making these areas a key priority for additional security measures.
Tougher penalties for offenders
Regarding the second area of response, Charilaou stressed the importance of how incidents of violence are handled and the actions taken afterwards.
He also noted that legislation has recently been amended to increase penalties for those who use violence against healthcare professionals.
According to Charilaou, tougher penalties could act as a deterrent to people who may consider using violence against doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff.
He stressed that healthcare professionals work every day under difficult conditions to care for patients and that incidents of violence cannot simply be treated as something that is “passed over” before work continues.
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