Prof. Weiss clarified this morning (Tuesday) in the Knesset Health Committee, which held an extensive and urgent discussion on the subject, chaired by MK Idit Silman and with the participation of MK Meirav Ben-Ari, Chairman of the Knesset Internal Security Committee, Government officials, Ministries of Finance, Health and Defense Interior and health system administrators that issuing an immediate restraining order to violent family members, which would prevent them from accompanying their sick family member, would be greatly assisted by local security officials at the hospitals and by the threatened staff.
"I'm sorry I'm in this sitting here today because we did not have to attend," said Prof. Weiss.
"The incident that took place at Hadassah on Mount Scopus last week was a shocking event, but there are certainly many like it and we always meet again and are surprised again by the level of violence.
It is important to understand, these are not individual events.
I remember many events over the years, including difficult ones, and unfortunately the intensities are only growing. "
Severe violence incident at Hadassah Mount Scopus, Photo: Hadassah Spokeswoman
Prof. Weiss presented data according to which during 2021, security teams at Hadassah hospitals had to deal with hundreds of cases of violence, including severe verbal violence, threats and physical violence.
There were 205 cases of violence in 2021 in Hadassah Ein Kerem and 93 cases in Hadassah Mount Scopus.
Prof. Weiss added: "Dealing with such difficult daily situations requires us to act quickly for the staff.
When I arrived in the morning after the attack on Hadassah Mount Scopus, I found a post-trauma team in the unit.
Men and women who felt their lives were threatened during the severe riot that took place where they were saving lives.
As for our solutions and requirements, first of all thank you to the Ministries of Health, Homeland Security, Justice and Finance, for advancing the issue of placing a police point in public hospitals.
This is an important decision, especially in the city of Jerusalem.
Secondly, in the context of "zero tolerance for violence", I request that the security forces have the authority to issue an immediate expulsion order for family members, who in many cases are the ones who use violence and threats against the staff.
"I found a team in post-trauma," Prof. Yoram Weiss, Photo: Hadassah Spokeswoman
"The third request is to allow the hospital - the institution itself, to be the person who files the complaint with the police, because nowadays a complaint is required by the attacked employee, which is not always easy for employees to do due to very great concern. They are afraid. "The organization in which the offense was committed, we can promote deterrence and punishment much more effectively."
The deputy director general of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sefi Mendelovich, told the committee that "there are mostly incidents in hospitals, but those who caught him were cases where doctors threatened murder and were smuggled out of the hospital." A heartfelt event. "
As you may recall, last Monday night a severe and severe incident of violence took place by a patient's family members against the staff of Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus.
The family members of a patient from East Jerusalem, who was evacuated to the hospital in critical condition, while undergoing resuscitation operations and the staff trying to save him, went on a rampage and raged upon receiving the news of his death.
Violent incident at Hadassah Hospital // Credit: Hadassah Spokeswoman
Dozens of family members from the east of the city burst into the intensive care unit and began to riot while beating staff members, breaking doors and windows, damaging nurses' positions, computers and equipment.
The entire medical staff was shocked and upset by the severe violence, and two staff members who were lightly injured were treated in the emergency room.
Dr. Tamar Elram, director of Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, who arrived immediately, stressed that:
Our team, dedicated people who do their job faithfully around the clock, have been beaten and injured, and do not believe that after the efforts invested in caring for a patient, his family has rewarded them with such severe violence.
We must not be silent and rest until the law is exhausted with them in the most severe way. '
One of the nurses said after the serious assault: "I have been a nurse for 21 years, this is the first time I have feared for my life."
Rally of the medical staff at Hadassah Mount Scopus, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Following the severe case of violence, a special protest rally was held last Thursday at Hadassah Mount Scopus, in parallel with the general strike that lasted a day in the public health system during which work took place on a Saturday basis.
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us