Immediate Response Mechanism Set up to Tackle Assaults against Medical Staff

Mechanism for immediate response in the events of assaults against medical staff was established by the police and the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Sofia on 26th of September. Their representatives met with hospital directors and the emergency medical service in order to explain to them how to act if there was an incident of violence by patients. By the end of the month. Ministry of interior will check the security in the hospitals and will make analysis on the measures that are necessary for its improvement.

It emerged from the meeting that currently not all ambulances have panic buttons, but most emergency wards in Sofia are equipped with such buttons. In the event of physical aggression, the management of the hospital or the emergency centre should immediately notify the police and the coordinating prosecutor. The prosecutor is required to quickly organize investigation and gather evidence.

"It is extremely important to keep the evidence, so we will instruct the people who submit the information to all the teams," Prof. Asen Baltov, Director of "Pirogov" University Hospital says. 

"There will be no designated employee in the Ministry of Interior, as the information that will be sent to the hospital will be directed to the relevant police station on the territory of the medical establishment. The Ministry of Interior reacts in the same way. When we receive an alert, we immediately respond," Hristo Terziiski - Director of Sofia Directorate of the Ministry of Interior said.

Source: the Bulgarian National Television