Christchurch Hospital emergency department staff say they are spat at, pinched, slapped and threatened at least 100 times each month. Emergency department (ED) staff have been punched, kicked, scratched, spat on and sworn during 160 violent incidents in Christchurch during a single month. New research suggests staff often fail to report violence as a result, leaving health boards and management in the dark about the scale of the problem. Dr Sandra Richardson, lead author of the latest study, said the public would be horrified if they realised the extent of the abuse.
