A NURSE who was violently attacked at a York health centre has quit her job - because she fears being assaulted again.

Jackie Jeffery bravely went back to work at the NHS Walk-In Centre after a drunken patient smashed her head against a wall and punched her in the back.

Now she has decided to end her 20-year nursing career rather than face the prospect of another terrifying attack.

Still in agony after more than 20 operations to her top row of teeth fractured in the ordeal, she said: "I'm not staying around at work for the same thing to happen again."

The 40-year-old said she was "heartbroken" this had forced her out of a profession she wanted to work in for the "rest of her life".

But she claimed security at the Monkgate health centre had not improved since her case hit the headlines in February.

Mum-of-three Mrs Jeffery left the walk-in base at the end of July.

She believes drunks should be barred from the centre until they sober up and added: "The thought of somebody doing this again was giving me nightmares."

Mrs Jeffery, of Slingsby, near Malton, told how she was still suffering "constant pain" in the top of her mouth.

"I would give my house away for someone to get me out of this pain," she said. "That's how desperate I am."

She said she was scared to go out socialising with friends now and admitted the attack had "changed her entire life".

Mrs Jeffery believes her attacker - Noel James Corr, 46, of Speculation Street, York - is due to be released soon. His 18-month sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm last July was not long enough, she added.

John Cafferty, Unison regional head of health, said: "I would call on the primary care trust to look seriously at security at the walk-in centre and tighten it up if necessary."

In a statement, the Selby and York Primary Care Trust said it constantly reviewed security. This includes receiving advice from a police community safety officer.

Updated: 09:57 Monday, October 04, 2004