A BOLTON pensioner has launched a stinging attack on patients who abuse nurses, after he witnessed violent attacks in a ward at the Royal Bolton Hospital.

Seventy-year-old Leonard Monks, of Farnworth, was recovering from a heart attack and says he was "frightened out of his wits" when the patient in the next bed started being violent and abusive.

The man, who made no secret of the fact that he was a drug user, even threatened to put a fellow patient in a coffin when he was asked to curb his bad language.

He was frog-marched from the ward a number of times, swore at nurses and other patients, rifled through other people's belongings and even tore down the curtain round his bed in a fit of rage.

Mr Monks said that when he asked staff why this man was not handed over to the police, he was told they couldn't because they would just return him to hospital for treatment.

Mr Monks told the BEN: "His attitude and language to the the nursing staff was degrading, obscene and filthy."

The grandfather-of-five, who is back at home recovering, added: "At around 3.30am a seriously ill patient died and the language during all this was filthy.

"No nurses or patients should be subjected to this kind of behaviour in an ordinary hospital ward and shouldn't be afraid to complain.

"The man thought it was nothing more than a night's entertainment."

A spokesman from the Royal Bolton Hospital said they could not comment on individual cases, but said there are occasions when a disruptive patient can cause stress for staff and patients.

She said: "We apologise sincerely for any upset caused to any patient, but a person's medical condition always takes precedence over mental condition until they are assessed.

"If any patient is violent to nurses, doctors, other staff or any other patient, we wouldn't hesitate to involve the police and we have notices up around the hospital warning people of this."

Royal Bolton Hospital bosses now offer their staff training to cope with violence and aggression.

They are also trying to make the work place happier and healthier after investing £20,000 over two years on Care and Responsibility training to deal with acts of aggression by patients.

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