This is Vanese Ferguson with Coffee Talk. A letter has been sent to media, to the SHA, copied to the Premier and Minister of Health, and it’s signed by over 200 frontline staff at St. Paul’s Hospital which details nearly four dozen violent incidents and safety concerns. The letter states that the incident in November involving a shotgun, ammunition, knives and threats of violence to a staff member is the tip of the iceberg.  The nearly four dozen violent incidents outlined in the letter took place over a mere three days in December.  I’ll read but a few excerpts. A person with severe lacerations to their hand was recognized by another patient who had been attacked by a machete who then went to security to report that person with lacerated hand as the one who had attacked them.  Security confronted them and removed a huge machete tucked in their pants. A patient in trauma became so angry they plipped over a stretcher and tried to break down the doors to triage.  One health care worker witnessed two people get into a physical fight outside the entrance doors.  One pulled a knife, and another pulled a gun.  In another incident, a serrated bread knife that pulled out in front of a pregnant coworker stating “here, I’ don’t need it anymore after being in the department for six hours. These are but a few.  But to say it is shocking and terrible is an understatement.  While one may not take note of politicians calling for action, I do think must take action when over 200 health care workers in one facility take the time to gather these firsthand accounts and request a safety plan.  I do hope they will be providing input for and sign off on said plan, in order to make sure they can continue to do their jobs with the goal of not incurring more trauma and drastically reducing safety threats.