NHS prescribes tough stance on violence against staff

News | HSW
01.10.2006

A new approach to tackling violence against health staff will see the NHS and the police investigating every reported incident from now on.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), signed on 15 August, commits both parties to investigating all reported incidents of violence or abuse and lobbying the courts and the Crown Prosecution Service for tougher sentences for offenders.

Offenders will only be cautioned following arrest and the views of victims will be taken into account before poilcie issue a caution.

Sheelagh Brewer, senior employment relations adviser at the Royal College of Nursing, welcomed the move but said the "real test will be how well this memorandum actually translates into action on the ground". She added, "The memorandum should result in better liaison and co-operation between the police and the NHS - with more assailants facing prosecution."

Karen Jennings, Head of health at public services union UNISON, also supported the move but said more needs to be done to tackle the causes of violence, such as binge drinking.

Official figures on violence against NHS staff published in June paint a depressingly familiar picture. A total of 60 385 NHS staff were physically assaulted by patients or relatives last year - one assault for every 22 members of staff.

An NHS SMS survey of 1,890 people, published on the same day the memorandum was signed, reveals that 19% of respondents have seen verbal or physical assaults on NHS staff, 21% believe offenders should be refused treatment, and 45% think all offenders should be jailed.

Jim Gee, managing director of NHS SMS, said, "With the promise of more prosecutions and tougher sentences, NHS staff should be able to look forward to the day when assaults are an increasingly rare occurrence. Although we have seen a 15-fold increase in the number of prosecutions for attacks on staff, history tells us that the courts have been too lenient on these crimes."

"It is totally unacceptable that doctors and nurses are subject to such aggression, whilst trying to do their job of treating patients," added Terence Grange, ACPO lead for violent crime and chief constable of Dyfed-Powys Police. "The police, working with NHS colleagues, will be vigorous and offenders investigated and prosecuted accordingly."

• The National patient Safety Agency reports that 2,159 patients died in the 12 months to March because of "patient safety incidents" such as accidents and failed infection control.