A BARROW man has been jailed after carrying out an unprovoked attack on a nurse and security guard.

Paul Giblin denied assaulting nurse Elizabeth Stewart and security guard John Hudson but was found guilty after a trial. On Monday he was jailed for 22 weeks.

Magistrates told Giblin, of Dalton Road, the offences warranted a prison sentence because the attacks followed a series of violent threats made towards the pair.

The 42-year-old kicked Mr Hudson in the back while attending Furness General Hospital on Saturday May 18.

After being arrested and taken to Barrow Police Station he then threatened nurse Elizabeth Stewart who was assessing him. 

University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust revealed last year's staff survey found one in six employees reported being attacked by patients or relatives.

The survey polled all staff and the trust said 40 per cent of its staff took part in the survey.

UHMBT oversees FGH, Westmorland General Hospital, Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe and Ulverston Community Health Centre.

British Medical Association chair Dr Anthea Mowat said NHS staff must be protected.

She said: "We know more needs to be done to protect NHS staff across the country; they should not be expected to work in an environment where they are harassed or assaulted by their patients.

"As pressure on services mount, the knock-on impact of increased waiting times and worsening access to care, can lead to greater patient frustration and increased tension.

"But, in addition to the necessary investment in services which we need to help alleviate this frustration, we also need measures to tackle the underlying causes and stop the offences occurring in the first place."