Waikato District Health Board yesterday declared that over 170 workers of Waikato Hospitals were attacked in the last year. Health workers have now demanded that people abusing staff should bear a penalty.

The board said that in the mental health sitting department, one worker was attacked. He was admitted in the hospital, later on.

Brent Nielsen, St. John Midland Regional Operations Manager has said that three ambulance officers of the hospital have been attacked in the last six months.

He also said that the hospital would take any step in the future to deal with growing problem.

Mary Anne Gill, who is DHB Spokeswoman, also said that the hospital is setting up rules, under which only two visitors will be allowed with a patient. She said that if this behavior continues the hospital would shut down the ED and the intensive care units. In ED, staff members have to witness unexpected behavior of the patient.

"It certainly isn't something we want to be doing but it has worked effectively overseas and we will do whatever's necessary to ensure our doctors and nurses can do their job”, said Mary.

She informed that 176 of such cases were triggered because the staff could not fill the forms of patients in time.

In another development, Waikato hospital has reported outstanding results of approximately all the cases.