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| NHS violence law rejected by AMs | NHS violence law rejected by AMs |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Staff working in Welsh hospitals will not have extra legal protection from violence and abuse offered to their English colleagues, it has emerged. | Staff working in Welsh hospitals will not have extra legal protection from violence and abuse offered to their English colleagues, it has emerged. |
| The Ministry of Justice says a new law will only apply in England because Welsh ministers rejected the chance to extend it to Wales. | The Ministry of Justice says a new law will only apply in England because Welsh ministers rejected the chance to extend it to Wales. |
| The assembly government said it turned down the law because it was developing on its own policies for the problem. | The assembly government said it turned down the law because it was developing on its own policies for the problem. |
| Cross-bench peer Baroness Ilora Finlay described the situation as "madness". | |
| More than 20 NHS staff in Wales complain of physical or mental abuse in a typical day. The UK Government is introducing a new offence of creating a disturbance or nuisance on NHS premises to help hospitals protect their staff. | More than 20 NHS staff in Wales complain of physical or mental abuse in a typical day. The UK Government is introducing a new offence of creating a disturbance or nuisance on NHS premises to help hospitals protect their staff. |
| But the assembly government told the Ministry of Justice it did not want the new law to extend to Wales. | But the assembly government told the Ministry of Justice it did not want the new law to extend to Wales. |
| It has instead set up its own policies to protect staff, although it does not have the power to change criminal law. | It has instead set up its own policies to protect staff, although it does not have the power to change criminal law. |
| If they've got it wrong in not taking this opportunity, they're going to have to wait many years to have another opportunity to protect healthcare workers Baroness Ilora Finlay | |
| It said a group led by a representative of the Royal College of Nursing is expected to report imminently on what it describes as "actions designed to meet Welsh needs and circumstances." | It said a group led by a representative of the Royal College of Nursing is expected to report imminently on what it describes as "actions designed to meet Welsh needs and circumstances." |
| That is unlikely to pacify 20 MPs and peers who say it is absurd that Welsh workers will not receive the same legal protection as their English counterparts. | That is unlikely to pacify 20 MPs and peers who say it is absurd that Welsh workers will not receive the same legal protection as their English counterparts. |
| Former Welsh Secretary Alun Michael blames the gap on a misunderstanding of devolution within Whitehall. | Former Welsh Secretary Alun Michael blames the gap on a misunderstanding of devolution within Whitehall. |
| Ministers have pledged 'zero tolerance' of aggression | |
| He has tabled a Commons motion to try to put pressure on ministers to change the bill. | He has tabled a Commons motion to try to put pressure on ministers to change the bill. |
| Baroness Ilora Finlay first brought attention to the situation when she tried to have the extra legal protection for NHS staff extended to healthcare workers in hospices and working in the community. | |
| She said: "It seems madness to not to take on protection, potentially, for healthcare workers, that we have a chance to get this legislation in place to apply to Wales. | |
| "The Welsh Assembly Government cannot legislate on criminal justice issues so, effectively, if they've got it wrong in not taking this opportunity, they're going to have to wait many years to have another opportunity to protect healthcare workers." | |
| 'Protecting staff' | |
| "People need to be aware, if healthcare workers in Wales do not have equal protection with healthcare workers in England, we will not be getting the best of frontline healthcare workers, particularly accident and emergency, and those kind of people wanting to come back to Wales." | |
| The Welsh Assembly Government said it was working with the relevant trade unions and professional associations to develop its own set of policies for protecting staff who work in the Welsh NHS. | The Welsh Assembly Government said it was working with the relevant trade unions and professional associations to develop its own set of policies for protecting staff who work in the Welsh NHS. |
| A spokesperson said: "These have recently been worked on further in a group led by a secondee from the Royal College of Nursing in Wales. | A spokesperson said: "These have recently been worked on further in a group led by a secondee from the Royal College of Nursing in Wales. |
| "The report of that working group is expected imminently and will further inform the development of actions designed to meet Welsh needs and circumstances." | "The report of that working group is expected imminently and will further inform the development of actions designed to meet Welsh needs and circumstances." |