ROME (ITALPRESS) – The Council of Ministers has approved a decree law introducing “Urgent measures to combat the phenomena of violence against health care professionals in the exercise of their functions as well as damage to property intended for health care.”The decree law amends Articles 380 (mandatory arrest in flagrante delicto) and 382 bis (deferred arrest in flagrante delicto) of the Code of Criminal Procedure: it extends mandatory arrest in flagrante delicto also to acts of violence that cause personal injury to health care professionals or produce damage to movable and immovable property intended for health care, resulting in the impairment of the public service provided by the facilities. In addition, compulsory arrest in flagrante delicto is applied, including “deferred,” that is, within forty-eight hours after the criminal conduct is unequivocally proven by video-photographic documentation.The rule also amends Article 365 of the Penal Code by providing an aggravated penalty for those who damage movable or immovable property within or in the appurtenances of residential or semi-residential, public or private health or social-health care facilities, including property of physicians and health care personnel: imprisonment of one to five years and a fine of up to 10.000 euros, and the penalty is increased if the act is committed by more than one person together. “Today we have given another concrete response to protect doctors, nurses and all health and social-health workers. With the approval of the Decree Law on Assault, even deferred arrest in flagrante delicto is immediately applicable for those who assault a health care worker. We have fulfilled a commitment made to those who every day devote themselves with competence and dedication to the care of citizens and do not deserve to be the object of violence,” comments Health Minister Orazio Schillaci. “The decree also,” he adds, “toughens the punishment for those who damage property inside or outside a health facility. We no longer want to see violence against women and men in the health service, but neither do we want to see the destruction of emergency rooms or wards. These measures are in addition to others already approved last year for preventive and deterrence purposes: penalties for assailants are increased, ex officio prosecution is already in place, regardless of whether the person being assaulted reports it, and police garrisons in hospitals have been strengthened. We want people to work safely in health and social care facilities,” the minister concluded, “but we know that alongside these dutiful and necessary interventions, an even greater effort is needed on the cultural level. That is why we will continue to promote, together with the categories, campaigns to raise awareness and strengthen the relationship of trust between patient and doctor.”
– Photo Agency Photogram –
(ITALPRESS).
