New Figures Show West Wicklow Region Ranks High On Mental Health Staff Assaults

There were almost 1,000 physical assaults on mental health staff in the first eight months of this year.

There were also over 850 attacks on service-users.

These new figures have been released by the HSE under the Freedom of Information Act.

As of the end of last month, there were 979 physical assaults on staff members in community or inpatient mental health services this year.

The highest number was in the community health organisation area 7, which includes Kildare, West Wicklow and parts of west and south Dublin.

It recorded 149 assaults, while there were 147 in Cork and Kerry, and 146 in Galway, Mayo and Roscommon.

There have also been 853 physical assaults on service-users during the same time frame.

The HSE says the vast majority of the incidents result in a low level of harm, or none at all.

It says it takes the small number of incidents that result in moderate or major harm very seriously.