Earlier today, Todd Doherty, Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention put out a statement regarding assault towards healthcare professionals.
In a release from Doherty, he will be tabling Bill C-321, which is an act to change the criminal code to include assaults against healthcare professionals and first responders in the house of commons.
If this piece of legislation is passed, to would consider an assault against front-line healthcare staff an aggravated circumstance during the sentencing.
Doherty said in the release that “We need to work together, to ensure all nurses, paramedics, firefighters, and other frontline staff are safe at work.”
The release stated that 61 percent of nurses reported a serious problem with violence over a recent 12 month period, with two thirds considered leaving their jobs as a result.
46.4 percent of nurses had reported exposures to physical assault 11 or more times.
He further added that this is a first step in curbing the escalating violence,and that everyone has the right to a safe and respectful work environment.