HEALTH bosses have pledged to tackle violence against their staff.

Papers released by North East Essex NHS Primary Care Trust (PCT) showed 104 staff were involved in incidents of violence in the last three months of 2007/8.

A total of 185 incidents were recorded, including a "moderate" incident in which a member of Carillion staff suffered broken ribs after a fall down stairs.

One major incident occured involving a patient, according to the figures.

In a report of events during the past three months, it was also revealed that a patient was discharged with four different painkillers - only one was prescribed on discharge.

The medication was administered according to the instructions on the box, but this led to an overdose of paracetamol, making the patient violently sick.

About 57 of the staff incidents occurred at the Lexden site in Colchester, and of the 363 involving patients, there were 109 at Clacton Hospital.