ALICANTE PROVINCE had the third-highest number of assaults and threats made to health workers in Spain last year according to the Policia Nacional.
The region had 16 assaults last year- six more than in 2021- with five people additionally charged with threatening behaviour.
One of the most dramatic cases was at an Alicante health centre where a doctor and nurse were attacked.
They had to lock themselves in a room to protect themselves from the assailant before calling the police.
Alicante province has a police inspector, Jose del Castillo, who liases with the health sector to provide advice and training to workers on how to deal with aggressive situations.
241 complaints were processed across Spain in 2022 with physical attacks actually reducing in favour of verbal threats.
Doctors were the most vulnerable, featuring in 68% of incidents, followed by nurses on 24%.
The Policia Nacional say they are planning to step up training for health staff and will launch a campaign warning citizens of the consequences of being violent towards medics.