The German Society for Emergency Medicine (DGINA) has voiced skepticism regarding Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig’s proposal to escalate penalties for assaults on medical personnel, highlighting a deeper systemic failure beyond simply punitive measures. Harald Dormann, Vice President of DGINA, argues that the threat of harsher sentences will not inherently improve the safety of healthcare workers, particularly given that current legislation already allows for prison sentences of up to five years – a deterrent that has demonstrably not proven effective.
Dormann’s comments, published in several German newspapers, underscore the increasingly precarious conditions faced by medical staff, particularly within hospitals and emergency rooms which consistently report disproportionately high levels of violence. Many institutions are already implementing preventative strategies such as de-escalation training and security personnel, but these are often implemented at significant financial strain. Hospitals are absorbing these costs from already severely stretched budgets, effectively subsidizing security measures instead of investing in core patient care.
He further pointed out that effective management of patients with mental health issues, substance abuse dependencies, or those experiencing intoxication is achievable, but requires substantial investment in personnel and targeted training programs. Dormann criticizes the current focus on stricter penalties as a narrow and disproportionate response. The core issue, he suggests, lies not in the severity of legal repercussions, but in the underlying lack of resources and inadequate infrastructure within the healthcare system – problems that enhanced criminal charges alone will fail to address. The debate, he concludes, is “very one-sided” diverting attention from the foundational needs of a stable and safe healthcare environment.