PEOPLE who work with the mentally ill are among the most selfless and dedicated professionals in the health service: they have to be. The figures released for incidents in the Haringey Mental Health Area in the past financial year are truly shocking, re

PEOPLE who work with the mentally ill are among the most selfless and dedicated professionals in the health service: they have to be. The figures released for 'incidents' in the Haringey Mental Health Area in the past financial year are truly shocking, revealing more than 250 physical abuse or assault 'events', and just short of 100 cases of disruptive or aggressive behaviour. Almost 500 events, ranging from sexual abuse to assault with a weapon, were reported in 12 months. There are likely to have been many more incidents that never made it into the official logs.

A certain amount of this goes with the territory, but it is alarming in this day and age that an atmosphere akin to bedlam still prevails in some areas of mental health care.

In the difficult environments in which they operate, the mental health trust must do more to ensure the safety of its staff while remaining aware of the need to provide patients with as much freedom as is reasonable.