EXCLUSIVE BY JUSTIN DUNN

NURSES at Arrowe Park Hospital are operating a zero-tolerance policy towards abusive patients.

Some staff at Wirral's main hospital say they are abused by people they're trying to help every single day of the year.

One ward sister told this week how she has been abused racially, verbally, and in one appalling case, physically.

On that occasion the sister had one of her fingers bent backwards and was punched in the chest by a drunk who'd been brought into hospital for injuries sustained in a brawl.

He had to be prised off the woman by a policeman and was later sentenced to eight months' imprisonment. The sister received £100 compensation.

Weekend night shifts are the most likely time for staff to get abused, but as the sister explained: "It happens every single day in one form or another - and it's almost always because of either drink or drugs."

Staff at the hospital admit they're apprehensive about the changes in pub and club opening hours that come into effect on November 24 as they will offer the opportunity to drink more.

"Obviously we've no idea if drink-related problems will get better or worse, but it's certainly something we're concerned about," said the sister, who has asked not to be named.

"Everybody working on Accident and Emergency who has contact with the public will have been abused at some time by someone drunk or on drugs.

"It's just a fact of life. The majority of patients are decent people but it's the minority that stick in your mind. Threats happen every day.

"Most of the time it's just verbal abuse, people being rude, but it can get a lot worse and often does. There is racial abuse, threats of violence, and I've been physically assaulted more than once."

At weekends, Arrowe Park's A&E unit has a police officer on guard all through the night, assisting the hospital's own 24-hour security staff.

"The situation has definitely improved since we had a police officer on site," said another nurse.

"But it's frustrating because we're trying to help people and often all we get in return is a volley of abuse."

The hospital operates a zero-tolerance policy towards abusive patients.

After a warning, patients continuing their bad behaviour will be refused treatment and removed from the hospital.

Staff have also been trained in avoidance and escape techniques to enable them to extricate themselves from potentially dangerous situations.

In the last two years there have been 90 reported incidents of abuse - 18 of them resulting in physical injuries and another 15 of lesser assaults.

One recorded incident against staff was a sexual assault, four have been threatening phone calls, 24 each of threatening behaviour and verbal abuse, two were racial incidents, and two involved offensive weapons.

"It's important than anyone coming to hospital who decides to start having a go at any of the staff here knows that it will not be tolerated and we will take action," said the nurse.

"The people who do this job do it because they're committed and want to help people.

"But they won't put up with anything that some people want to throw at them, and nor should they."