Nurses Punched In Face At Violent Children's Unit

Nurses person been assaulted and "punched successful nan face" amid convulsive behavioural problems astatine a hospital's children's unit, unit person told nan BBC.

Since April, nurses astatine nan Great Western Hospital (GWH) successful Swindon opportunity a bid of troubled teenagers person assaulted nurses, deed different kid and verbally abused very young patients and their families.

Other incidents person included a diligent who "ripped a TV" from a wall and collapsed a sink. Numerous unit are now taking sick leave.

A spokesperson for nan GWH said: "Our children's ward is often nan only spot disposable locally for susceptible children and young group up to nan property of 18 pinch analyzable aesculapian and intelligence wellness needs."

Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership closed nan Riverside teen intelligence wellness portion arsenic a "temporary measure" successful February 2024.

But its continued closure intends GWH has to do its champion to header pinch teenagers suffering shape psychiatric conditions.

The portion provides attraction to children up to nan property of 18 and nan hospitals does not person an teen intelligence wellness ward arsenic an alternative.

Statistics obtained by nan BBC show that successful May location were 13 incidents relating to nan behaviour of inpatients that progressive harming themselves aliases others. There were different 7 successful June.

Five unit aliases different patients and family members were assaulted successful May, and different 4 successful June.

The BBC has spoken to respective nurses from nan portion who opportunity up to 15 members of unit person been disconnected activity because of violence.

They said 1 caregiver who remains disconnected activity was near earnestly injured aft being assaulted 2 years agone and has suffered ever since pinch proceeding nonaccomplishment and PTSD.

The nurses each want to stay anonymous.

One said: "We kept saying what is it going to take? Still thing has changed.

"Is it going to return for a kid to get hurt. We past had a kid wounded connected nan ward."

The caregiver added that nan stats were apt little than nan existent number because unit find it difficult to find clip to study them.

The caregiver described really she felt immoderate incidents were not being dealt pinch earnestly enough.

"It is often put to america these children are unwell truthful successful position of reporting to nan constabulary we are made to consciousness we are doing incorrect against nan child.

"We are a unafraid ward and person to buzz group successful and out.

"It's restrictions for illustration that and immoderate of nan intelligence wellness patients we person to region ligatures specified arsenic a hoody they past don't for illustration because we are stopping them from hurting themselves.

"The biggest problem is we do spell up to 18. Most children's wards spell to 16. it almost feels for illustration group tally frightened because it is children."

Another caregiver said: "A batch of children are medically fresh to spell home. No 1 wants to return them because of their escalating behaviour.

"It has caused a batch of holes successful walls, damaged pipes and tons of unit being deed pinch group being punched successful face."

The caregiver went connected to picture really 4 registered intelligence wellness nurses were incapable to restrain 1 teenage woman who was besides verbally abusing staff.

"It is having a monolithic effect connected patients and parents."

She added: "One of my colleagues went disconnected sick arsenic this woman was smacking her caput against nan wall. The registered intelligence wellness nurses were conscionable watching.

The caregiver said they person an "assessment portion for children to beryllium assessed" which was past closed. This has near nan infirmary portion dealing pinch these cases.

"One teen was ripping TVs disconnected nan wall, she collapsed a sink. The full wall has had to beryllium replaced it has ... led to astir apt astatine slightest 15 unit being disconnected sick," nan caregiver added.

The caregiver said that managers had done very small to reside nan business isolated from introducing a 'safe room' which has not been opened yet.

Another caregiver said: "We had a young personification who was pinch america because she had taken an overdose and her behaviour escalated to nan constituent that she was being looked aft by 3 registered intelligence wellness agency nurses .

"Her behaviour escalated and she assaulted nurses and information staff. She punched rather a fewer people."

An NHS report successful 2024 highlighted nan difficulties of nursing teenagers connected infirmary wards alongside younger children.

The South West head of nan Royal College of Nursing, Susan Masters, said it is simply a nationalist problem, adding: "This spot (GWH) is nan section provision. There isn't different proviso anyplace other for these young group to spell which is why its very difficult here.

"Children pinch beingness wellness difficulties, young group pinch illnesses and procedures request a bright, distracting nosy environment.

"Children and young group pinch intelligence wellness distress request nan opposite-very calming very sombre. The different rumor of people is master nursing staff.

"So presently these children are being cared for successful an acute portion pinch children's' nurses that are not needfully trained successful master intelligence wellness services."

A connection from GWH spot said: "We person individual rooms providing privateness and section betwixt property groups, alongside 2 dedicated rooms for patients experiencing a intelligence wellness crisis.

"Many of nan children and young group we attraction for request specialised attraction and we are readying to enlistee master intelligence wellness nurses truthful that we person nan expertise to amended support children and young group pinch terrible intelligence wellness needs.

"It's unacceptable that NHS unit look unit and maltreatment and we do each we tin to support our staff, patients and visitors safe.

"This is simply a nationalist issue, nevertheless these incidents tin beryllium highly distressing, and we connection a package of intelligence wellness support to our staff, which includes de-briefing sessions and counselling services.

"Our Never OK campaign, successful business pinch Wiltshire Police, encourages unit to study each incidents and nan constabulary regularly sojourn nan infirmary and support our ain information team."