Assaf HaRofeh Medical Center
Photo: Shaul Golan
Government authorizes establishment of police unit to defend hospital staff
In a joint initiative by the ministries of Public Security and Health, a new police unit will be established to protect the hospitals' medical staff against the rising phenomenon of violence; Erdan: 'it is a moral duty towards those who save the lives of citizens.'
The Ministerial Committee on the Struggle Against Violence, headed by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, has authorized the establishment of a police unit that will operate in about 15 of the largest medical centers in the country to ensure the safety of their medical staff.
Throughout 2016, in a joint initiative by Erdan and Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, a trial was held in six public hospitals where nine officers were stationed in each to help against the rising trend of violence against the hospitals staff.
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Following a noticeable improvement reported by the staff and visitors to those hospitals, the ministerial committee authorized last week the expansion of the trial into an actual police unit that will work in the 15 biggest hospitals in the country.
Following the establishment of the unit, a directory under both the Public Security Ministry and the Health Ministry will also be established. Financed by both ministries, 26 police officers will be recruited to the unit and allocated to guard the hospitals.
A survey held to test the trial reported that more than half of the staffs in the hospitals were exposed to verbal violence in 2016, mostly the security guards, nurses and doctors.
According to the survey, about a third of the cases were caused by long waiting times, whereas about 4% of the cases stemmed from discontent over visiting hours or results of tests.
The survey also showed the results of the trial, showing a drop in cases of violence in the hospitals were it was held. For example, in Rambam Hospital the number of cases of violence against the hospital staff was reduced to 169 in 2016 from 412 in 2015 and in Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center the number of cases dropped to 404 in 2016 from 649 in 2015.
"The new plan is essential in fighting the violence against the medical staff in hospitals across the country," said Erdan on Wednesday. "It is a moral duty towards those who save the lives of citizens in the medical wards and expose themselves to threats and violence.
"We have, for the first time, brought a solution to a very important social security challenge. The lives of the medical staff in hospitals are not to be forfeited, and for that we have built a professional plan of the highest standard that will give the security required to treat the patients."
(Translated & edited by Lior Mor)
