Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to protect NHS staff following reports of staff being mugged for their NHS staff identification cards.

The Government condemns any instance of violence, abuse or robbery of National Health Service staff – such behaviour is despicable. Any robbery or attempted robbery of a NHS staff ID card should be reported to the police immediately, as it is a criminal offence.

The NHS and the Crown Prosecution Service recently signed the Joint Agreement on Offences Against Emergency Workers. This agreement sets out a framework for the effective investigation and prosecution of cases where emergency workers are the victim of a crime and the standards that victims of these crimes can expect. The definition of an emergency worker in this agreement also includes all those who are employed to support the provision of NHS health services.

NHS organisations will also have local arrangements in place to support staff who are the victim of a crime.