NHS: Crimes of Violence

(asked on 2nd December 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in violent behaviour towards NHS workers in South West England; and what steps they are taking to counter this violence.


Answered by
Lord Kamall Portrait
Lord Kamall
This question was answered on 13th December 2021

Violence and abuse against health and care staff is unacceptable. There is no data available on violence and abuse against National Health Service staff in the South West of England. Nationally, 14.5% of staff responding to the NHS staff survey in 2020 said they had experienced at least one incidence of violence in the previous 12 months.

The NHS Violence Reduction Programme aims to protect the workforce against deliberate violence and aggression and ensure offenders are punished quickly and effectively. This includes body camera trials for ambulance trusts, the introduction of Violence Prevention and Reduction Standards, improved training for staff to deal with violence and prompt mental health support for those who are the victims of violence. The Government is currently legislating to double maximum sentences for attacks on emergency workers, which includes those working in the NHS, to two years through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021.

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