Doctors Rome: “Against aggressions create separate and safe paths”

“The issue of attacks on doctors and health workers in general is a hot topic. To combat the escalation of so much violence, we must do everything we can to prevent patients or their ill-intentioned family members from having direct contact with those who are treating them. So, first of all, we need to create separate pathways that guarantee the safety of those who work in our NHS.” This was underlined to Adnkronos Salute by the president of the Order of Physicians of Rome, Antonio Magi, after a series of episodes of violence against workers in various cities in Italy.

“Clearly – he highlights – we need to educate people to the fact that the doctor is in the workplace to help them and treat them and not to create problems. It is strange that a patient goes to the emergency room for a health problem and then ends up directly hitting the health worker who is supposed to assist him in some way. This is also a fact that must be overcome. But to do so we must raise public awareness”.

If this violence does not stop, “soon we may no longer have professionals who want to work in the National Health Service,” warns Magi, “and therefore there will no longer be doctors ready to assist and treat us in our time of greatest need.”