Patient Attacks Psychiatrist With Wrench at Beit She'an Clinic

A patient attacked a psychiatrist with a pipe wrench multiple times on the head and attempted to strangle him at a mental health clinic in Beit She'an on Wednesday, October 21. Eyewitnesses reported that clinic staff, primarily female employees, intervened and managed to stop the assailant. Following the incident, the clinic staff announced they would cease operations until security personnel were present. According to witnesses cited by Ynet, the attacker was large and required significant effort from the staff to subdue. One witness described the attack as an attempt to strangle the doctor to death, posing a real threat to his life. The injured psychiatrist was transported to Ha'Emek Hospital in Afula with injuries and a suspected concussion. After receiving treatment in the emergency room, he was discharged, and the Clalit Health Fund stated they are continuing to provide him with support. The clinic serves over a thousand patients with a staff of approximately 15, including psychologists, social workers, nurses, and secretaries, but lacks a security guard. A staff member revealed that the panic button is pressed at least once a month due to frequent altercations, though this was the most severe attack to date. The clinic's sole psychiatrist is reportedly overloaded, leading to long waiting lists of at least six months, causing patient frustration and despair. Staff have resolved not to reopen the clinic until Clalit provides a security guard, deeming work without one unacceptable. Clalit condemned the violence against medical staff and stated that measures like panic buttons and patrols are in place for worker protection. The assailant, described as a person with psychiatric disorders, was apprehended by police, who have launched an investigation.