The criminal law protection of healthcare workers as persons entrusted with public functions

Introduction: Since the second half of the 20th century, criminal law has offered enhanced protection to healthcare workers as persons exercising public service functions, and to this day, such specific protection affects the lives and work of health professionals.Objective: The aim of the study is to present how healthcare workers' enhanced criminal protection has developed since the second half of the 20th century, how the scope of its subjects has evolved and broadened, and what it really contains. It is also aimed at presenting how the crime of assault on persons exercising public service functions in this field is reflected in criminal statistics.Method: The study was carried out by reviewing the relevant legislation, judicial practice and literature, as well as by analysing the data provided, upon request, by the Office of the Prosecutor General.Results: Along with the expansion of the scope of passive subjects of the crime of assault on persons exercising public service functions, the range of healthcare workers has also expanded, and modern Hungarian criminal law has been offering them a higher level of criminal protection. Judicial practice has expanded this circle even further, thus, the current range of persons entitled to enhanced criminal protection is particularly wide. However, this protection is not general in nature, but it is linked to specific healthcare activities, which is confirmed by the available and analysed statistical data.Conclusion: Healthcare workers, being persons exercising public service functions, are entitled to enhanced criminal protection, as a result of which they are more likely to be victims of the crime of assault against persons exercising public service functions.