Alex Trelinski
DOCTORS are continuing to endure a rising number of physical and verbal assaults in Spain according to figures from the Spanish Medical Association(OMC).
The worrying trend comes as a Madrid area nursing assistant died in mid-February after being kicked in the testicles.
The male worker, 52, was assaulted by a psychiatric patient at the San Jose Institute Foundation Hospital who put his hand on his shoulders and then kicked him hard down below.
The CCOO trade union has launched a formal complaint with the Works Inspectorate alleging that the nurse was never seen by a doctor and died hours later.
The man lost consciousness and was treated by a nurse.
After 90 minutes he was told he could go home and passed away later.
Tuesday is the European Day against Attacks on Doctors and Health Professionals, and ahead of that, the OMC says there were 769 physical attacks on doctors reported in 2023- a rate of two per day.
It’s the second highest year of recorded violence assaults following a total of 843 cases in 2022.
Two out of every three doctors assaulted last year were women, who also got 70% of insults and humiliation, 65% of threats, 58% of physical injuries and 75% of cases of harassment.
Female doctors under the age of 35 suffered the worst with 132 assaults.
Since the OMC started collating assault figures in 2010, a total of 7,261 cases have been reported, of which 87% have occurred in Spain’s public health service.
Numbers have risen since the Covid pandemic and the majority of assaults(72%) are down to longer waiting times followed by issues over the treatment offered(58%).
The OMC says there needs to be greater workplace support and advice on how to deal with violent situations.
READ MORE:
- Police arrested 115 people last year for violent assaults against doctors and nurses in Spain
- Angry patient throws computer at female doctor who would not sign him off work in latest medical assault in…
- No respect: Figures show assaults on doctors are on the rise in Spain
