Minimum jail sentences don’t protect health professionals from assault by patients but may “double-traumatise” them by sending more cases to trial, a barrister and lecturer says.

In 2018, the Victorian Government passed laws to crack down on patients who attacked doctors, paramedics or nurses delivering “emergency-like care”, removing the special circumstances that had allowed judges to impose non-custodial sentences.

The laws, which mandate a minimum of six months jail for those found guilty, were intended to deter attacks on health workers.

They were introduced after a number of high-profile assaults on doctors and paramedics.