Three months have passed since Hon. Kenny Dhunoo MP physically assaulted a nurse working at Wellkin Hospital. It is understood that the nurse had requested that Hon. Kenny Dhunoo attends the triage unit, which is a common procedure which allows the doctor or nurse to assess how serious a patient’s condition is. This system streamlines patients in a way that ensures the sickest are seen first. If this is indeed what happened, then those in need of urgent attention may have had to wait longer.

Healthcare workers not only work very hard but also put their own lives on the line looking after sick patients. We all know that many doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers have lost their lives during the Covid-19 pandemic. Nurses often work unsocial hours, including evenings and week- ends. They are on their feet as opposed to being sat at a desk. They are responsible for essential tasks including administering patients’ medications, handling intravenous infusions, recording observations such as blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturations, and much more. Proximity with patients’ blood, respiratory secretions and other bodily substances means that they are at risk of acquiring infections. For all the above reasons, not to mention the fact that they save lives and help patients get better, nurses deserve our utmost respect.

Stiff penalties

I have lived in Australia and the UK for most of my adult life. Most of the hospitals and clinics that I have attended as a doctor or a patient adopt a zero-tolerance approach to aggressive or violent behaviour towards their staff. For example, many general practice clinics have a sign saying that they will not tolerate abusive behaviour such as:

• Using offensive language or swearing at practice staff
• Physical violence towards staff members, such as pushing or shoving
• Verbal abuse of any form including insulting staff
• Racial abuse and sexual harassment

Never mind medical institutions, such abuse is not tolerated in supermarkets, post offices, banks, or on public transport. In countries such as the USA, UK and Australia, perpetrators face stiff penalties for assaults on healthcare workers.

It is disappointing that certain factions have tried to divert attention to how or why the video footage was released.

This is completely beside the point. When ITV News published photos of Boris Johnson drinking at an event in Downing Street during the Covid-19 lockdown, it was never a matter of how reporters got hold of the photos but rather the fact that the then UK Prime Minister had broken the law. We all know what followed. The Metropolitan Police issued fines relating to the No. 10 gatherings and Boris Johnson eventually resigned. Let’s assume for a moment that release of the Wellkin Hospital footage was unlawful. Does that excuse the assault on the Indian nurse?

One can argue that this outburst was a manifestation of stress. Most people who attend hospital are under some form of stress as they are themselves unwell or accompanying somebody who is sick. My own father was recently in hospital with a gastrointestinal ulcer, and the first few days were very stressful for the whole family. Nevertheless, I cannot imagine that this would give anybody the green light to behave aggressively towards the hospital staff. If Hon. Kenny Dhunoo were indeed facing a stressful situation at the time, I sincerely hope that this has been resolved. However, if violent out- bursts were justified every time we are stressed, there would be anarchy. Failure to issue an apology may be interpreted as a lack of remorse. Instead, those around Hon. Kenny Dhunoo have adopted a defensive stance and tried to deflect attention.

Aside of the physical harm, workplace violence can result in significant and lasting psychological trauma.1 Even if the threat is no longer there, the victim may still feel worried about experiencing it and may consequently struggle with the thought of going to work. Panic attacks can result from fear of the impact of past events. This anxiety may make it impossible for the victim to work until he or she receives treatment. Another common sequela of occupational violence is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a psychiatric disorder which may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war or rape, or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence or serious injury. People who suffer from PTSD replay the incident over and over again in their mind. PTSD sufferers are easily startled or frightened, have difficulty concentrating and sleeping, and experience guilt or shame. It is important that we do not lose sight of the victim’s mental wellbeing in these situations. I hope that the Welkin Hospital nurse is receiving the necessary support to mitigate the enduring impact of this act of aggression.

Reference Zhang J, Zheng J, Cai Y et al. Nurses’ experiences and support needs following workplace violence: A qualitative system- atic review. J Clin Nurs 2021; 30:28-43.