Harassment of staff a ‘significant concern’

• Published date: 23 June 2022
• Publication title: Clutha Leader

Balclutha primary care provider Clutha Health First made a public appeal for greater ‘‘kindness and consideration’’ to its staff through media last week, following a recent upsurge in ‘‘verbal aggression’’ from patients

Chief executive Ray Anton said although the facility had made similar appeals for patience in the past, the number of comments directed at staff recently had been exceptional.

‘‘Over recent months staff have been encountering increasing amounts of unnecessary rudeness, or been faced with verbally aggressive patients. In more recent weeks this has become a more or less daily occurrence.

‘‘Largely it relates to frustrations from a variety of reasons and demanding what sometimes we are not able to deliver.’’

Mr Anton acknowledged the facility had been under-resourced recently due to COVID-19 and flu-related sickness among staff, but said that was no excuse for incivility.

He said the level of harassment had risen to become a ‘‘significant concern’’.

‘‘Our staff are feeling the same stress [as patients] and are doing their best. We are concerned with...