Assault Policy

1. Policy Statement

Nisa Medical Group is committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive environment for all patients, visitors, employees, contractors and stakeholders. The hospital maintains a zero-tolerance stance toward any form of assault, whether verbal, physical, psychological or sexual, and whether directed from patients to staff, staff to patients, or between staff members.

Every individual within the hospital environment has the right to safety, dignity, respect and humane treatment while receiving or delivering healthcare services. Any act of assault is unacceptable and will be addressed promptly, fairly and in line with hospital policy, law and ethical standards.

2. Purpose of the Policy

• Establish clear standards for the prevention, reporting, investigation and management of assault incidents.
• Protect the rights, safety, dignity and wellbeing of staff, patients and visitors.
• Ensure prompt, confidential and impartial handling of all assault-related incidents.
• Promote a culture of mutual respect, accountability and zero tolerance to violence within NMG facilities.

3. Core Objectives of the Policy

• Provide clear standards for prevention, reporting, investigation and management of assault incidents.
• Protect the rights and wellbeing of staff, patients and visitors.
• Ensure prompt, confidential and impartial handling of all incidents.
• Promote a culture of mutual respect, accountability and zero tolerance to violence.

4. Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all NMG employees, patients receiving care, visitors, relatives, caregivers and companions of patients, contractors, vendors, service providers operating within hospital premises, and all hospital locations including wards, OPD, emergency areas, administrative offices, car parks and ancillary facilities.

5. Definition

Assault is any act or threat that causes or is likely to cause physical harm, psychological distress, fear, humiliation or violation of dignity. This includes:

• Verbal abuse, threats, insults or intimidation.
• Physical violence.
• Psychological or emotional abuse.
• Sexual harassment or sexual assault.

6. Core Areas of Focus

6.1 Protection of Rights

• All individuals have the right to a safe environment free from violence and intimidation.
• Patients have the right to receive care without fear of assault or harassment.
• Staff have the right to perform their duties without exposure to assault or harassment.
• No retaliation shall be tolerated against any individual who reports an assault in good faith.

6.2 Prevention

• Promote respectful communication and professional conduct at all times.
• Provide regular awareness and training on workplace-violence prevention.
• Ensure visible security presence in high-risk areas.
• Implement early identification and management strategies for aggressive behaviour.

6.3 Reporting and Investigation

All incidents of assault or suspected assault must be reported immediately to the customer-service lead, on-call clinical director or appropriate hospital authority. A formal investigation shall begin promptly and be fair, unbiased, confidential and completed within a reasonable timeframe.

6.4 Support and Recovery

• Provide emotional and psychological support through designated counselling sessions or referral to the appropriate specialist.
• Ensure victims are treated with empathy, respect and confidentiality.
• Facilitate medical care, counselling or referral when needed.

6.5 Accountability

All offenders, whether staff, patients or visitors, shall be held accountable. Disciplinary action shall be taken in line with NMG internal policies, Nigerian labour laws, ethical and professional standards. Legal actions, sanctions or referrals to external authorities may be taken where necessary.

7. Roles and Responsibilities

• Top Management: demonstrate commitment to zero tolerance, provide resources and ensure disciplinary and corrective actions.
• Head of Legal: provide legal guidance on assault cases and ensure actions align with laws, patient rights and regulatory requirements.
• Heads of Departments: promote compliance, ensure incidents are reported promptly and support investigations.
• HSE Lead: coordinate reporting, investigation and documentation, lead prevention initiatives and support victims with clinical psychology and HR.
• Chief Security Officer: ensure immediate response, maintain safety during incidents and support investigations.
• Employees, Patients and Visitors: treat all individuals with respect and professionalism, report incidents promptly and cooperate with investigations.

8. Confidentiality and Consent

• All assault reports and investigations shall be handled with strict confidentiality.
• Information shall only be shared with authorised persons on a need-to-know basis.
• Consent shall be obtained from victims before counselling or referral, except where legally required.

9. Monitoring and Evaluation

• The HSE and QID departments shall monitor trends, incidents and compliance.
• Lessons learned shall be used to strengthen preventive measures and training programmes.

10. Policy Review

This policy shall be reviewed every two years or earlier if there are changes in legislation, significant incidents occur, or organisational or operational changes require updates. Review shall be coordinated by the Legal Department, QID, HR, Security and HSE with approval from top management.