New Zealand's Bay of Plenty hospitals are reviewing safety measures after hundreds of staff were attacked on the job by patients and visitors in the last four years, according to an article on the Bay of Plenty Times website.

Bay of Plenty District Health Board figures show there have been 875 attacks on staff at Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals by patients and visitors since 2010, including 67 this year, the article said.

The district health board had a zero tolerance for violence and an on-going training program for at-risk employees plus full-time security in the emergency department had helped reduce assaults, the article said.

Assaults on staff in 2011 prompted the placement of a security guard in the emergency department during high-risk times and on-going training for staff in managing aggressive behavior. High-risk times were from 6 p.m. to midnight during the week and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. at weekends.

Service and food workers union national secretary John Ryall said its members, orderlies and hospital security were called regularly to help nurses and other staff being assaulted. Although it was part of their job, the issue of assaults on staff was a concern.

In April 2012, the Bay of Plenty District Health Board proposed to cut security staff at Tauranga Hospital. In June, the board decided against cutting the hospital's security service from 10 full-time equivalent positions to nine after unions raised concerns, the article said.

Read the article.