Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to reduce levels of violence and aggression against staff working in emergency departments.

No specific assessment has been made regarding the Royal College of Emergency Medicine’s survey. Data on violence in emergency departments is not centrally held, although the NHS Staff Survey results, with questions on violence, are published at the following link:

https://www.nhsstaffsurveys.com/results/national-results/

However, we are clear that any actions of violence, abuse, or harassment towards National Health Service staff, including in accident and emergency units, will not be tolerated. Everyone working in the NHS has a fundamental right to be safe at work, and it is deeply concerning that so many emergency department staff continue to experience this unacceptable behaviour.

That is why, on 6 July 2026, as part of the 10-Year Health Plan, the Government introduced new NHS staff standards, which set out the targeted action that every NHS employer across the country must take to prevent and reduce violence and abuse against their staff and help ensure they can do their jobs safely, including putting in place appropriate security, training, and support services.

That also followed the announcement on 9 April 2025 that the Government had accepted the Social Partnership Forum’s recommendations on tackling violence and aggression towards NHS staff, which included improving data and reporting of incidents and ensuring strengthened risk assessment, training, and support for victims.