HOW can a patient attack a health worker who is simply trying to care for them?

It is completely baffling to the vast majority of right-thinking members of society.

But the question of how to put a stop to the thugs is much more straight forward.

Health workers are blaming an ‘all-night drinking culture’ and a lack of respect for the shocking figures released today which show a sharp rise in the number of incidents.

Over the past year there have been 391 assaults on health workers in East Lancashire.

That means that on average a health worker is attacked in the area everyday.

Health workers’ union Unison is calling for the ‘pitifully low’ number of the thugs prosecuted to be stepped up.

And this is the key.

Health chiefs need to report every single incident. They need to be backed up by the police taking action in each case.

Then the courts need to support this work by handing out tough penalties.

Magistrates and judges must side with the victim, not the ‘sob stories’ of the thugs as is so often seen.

Following this, the authorities should then name and shame every person convicted.

Then the message would be clear: attacks on health workers are utterly unacceptable.