Gibson receives kidney dialysis at ERI three times a week

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary (ERI) paid for extra security guards and a special room to deal with convicted rapist and kidney dialysis patient Donald Gibson.

The revelation came after it emerged that NHS Scotland has spent �3m dealing with violence and abusive patients.

BBC's Panorama programme found the money was being spent on CCTV and other security measures.

The security costs for Gibson were on top of the average annual cost of �30,000 for his dialysis.

The costs came to light on the same day that drink-driver Calum Macdonald was fined �700 for assaulting a nurse who was trying to treat him after he crashed his car in Stornoway.

Across Scotland, money has spent on a range of security measures, including:

• Personal alarms for staff

• Training staff to deal with violence and aggression

• Absenteeism resulting from violence

• Pursuing offences through the courts.

More than 12,500 cases of abuse in Scotland's hospitals were reported in Scotland last year, the programme discovered.

Gibson, from Edinburgh, was jailed for nine months last year after assaulting a nurse and racially abusing a security guard at the Edinburgh hospital.

He currently receives kidney dialysis at ERI three times a week, requiring two security guards to be with him when he is on site.

Three nurses

A room in the renal ward had to be fitted out with �12,000 of equipment so that it could deal with him.

NHS Lothian's university hospitals chief operating officer, David Bolton, said the annual cost of dealing with Gibson was equivalent to funding three nurses.

Mr Bolton told BBC Radio Scotland: "I guess when you add it all up...you are looking at maybe the cost of three recently qualified nurses working for a year in our hospitals.

I think with increasing drug and alcohol use it certainly feels that there's less respect generally for professionals in a health care setting Anne Thomson RCN Scotland Send us your comments

"That's the sort of money we are talking about here."

The acting deputy director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, Anne Thomson, said cases of abuse against her members were "absolutely common" and increasing.

She told BBC Radio Scotland: "I think with increasing drug and alcohol use it certainly feels that there's less respect generally for professionals in a health care setting.

"We are having increased reports of it."

Responding to the Panorama programme, Scottish Conservative health spokeswoman, Nanette Milne, said: "I am concerned to see the vast differences in NHS spending to tackle violence and abuse.

"In 2005-6, �100m was spent in England and Wales, whereas in Scotland the cost was only �3m.

"We cannot compromise the safety of hospital staff, patients and visitors."

"GBH on the NHS" can be seen on BBC One on Monday, 26 February at 2030 GMT.