NHS boosts security after violence against staff

One of the largest hospital trusts in England has introduced "enhanced" security measures after reporting nearly 2,000 incidents of verbal and physical abuse against its staff in the past year.

University Hospitals Sussex (UH Sussex) said it needed to strengthen the support available to colleagues, patients and visitors after previously introducing body-worn cameras and knife amnesty bins earlier this year.

Dr Salwa Malik, consultant in emergency medicine, said: "No-one comes to work expecting to be threatened or harmed."

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said it was "working hard to ensure that serious offenders are held accountable for their crimes".

UH Sussex employs nearly 20,000 staff and runs hospitals in Brighton, Worthing, Haywards Heath and Chichester.

Some have spoken anonymously about their experiences, with one recalling being "thrown against a wall like a rag doll" by a patient who had "threatened to slit my throat".

Another described how someone "running around A&E with a knife" forced staff to barricade themselves in and hide under desks, while separate instances of being punched, choked and having wheelchairs thrown at them were also recounted.

However, Mark Rosser, head of security at the trust, said the measures taken so far were "helping to de-escalate situations, reassure staff, and provide clear evidence when incidents occur".

He said the amnesty bins offered a "safe and discreet way for patients or visitors to surrender any items they should not be carrying before entering our hospitals, significantly reducing risk and helping our colleagues feel safer".

Dozens of dangerous items have been handed in.

Almost one in seven NHS staff (14.47%) were physically attacked by a patient or other member of the public last year - the highest rate for three years, according to the latest NHS staff survey.

The statistics also found a record percentage of staff said they were subjected to unwanted sexual behaviour by the same group - rising to almost one in three ambulance staff (31%).

It also found nearly one in 10 staff (9.26%) said they were subjected to discrimination from the patient and the public - the highest on record.

The Sussex trust has developed a violence prevention and reduction programme.

The initiative includes implementing enhanced security measures, improving the accessibility of incident reporting, and strengthening the partnership with Sussex Police.

Dr Andy Heeps, chief executive officer at the trust, said: "Our colleagues dedicate their lives to caring for others, and it is unacceptable that anyone is subjected to violence, abuse or harassment.

"The safety and wellbeing of our people is fundamental to delivering excellent care, and any act of abuse or harassment has no place in our hospitals."

A new formal warning process is also being rolled out, giving staff a recognised and robust framework that warns patients or visitors when behaviour becomes unacceptable and they can no longer attend the hospital, unless in emergencies.

Dr Malik, clinical lead for the emergency department at Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath and Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton, said: "I've witnessed exceptional staff pushed to their limits by behaviour that should never be part of their working day.

"No-one comes to work expecting to be threatened or harmed, and it's heartbreaking to see the emotional weight it carries.

"Our teams are doing the best they can to care for patients, and they deserve to feel safe, respected and supported."

A DHSC spokesperson said: "Any violence or abuse against NHS staff is completely unacceptable.

"Our doctors, nurses and healthcare workers deserve to feel safe at work without fear of abuse, assault or harassment.

"The NHS has zero tolerance for this behaviour.

"We are working hard to ensure that serious offenders are held accountable for their crimes - the NHS should report incidents to the police so those responsible can be prosecuted."

Sussex Police said that it was committed to working closely with NHS trusts across the county to encourage reporting, conduct thorough investigations and, where appropriate, take enforcement action.

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