Public-sector union, Unison, has called for a national system to register attacks on local government workers. The call comes after the death of social worker, Phillip Ellison, 47, who died on 7 April from multiple stab wounds, after being attacked at a Preston care home for adults with mental-health issues.
Unison’s head of local government, Heather Wakefield, admitted such incidents are rare, but other forms of attack are more common. “We are urging the employers to keep a central register of all attacks so that we can assess the extent of the problem and deal with it appropriately,” she said. “The Government has pledged resources to protect NHS staff, and we would like to see the same protection for local government workers.”
A 51-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder, but later detained under s2 of the Mental Health Act. He will be kept in a secure unit for 28 days and will be reassessed to see if he is fit enough to undergo police interview.
