Sussex NHS workers face assaults and verbal abuse

Figures obtained by The Argus reveal the shocking reality of working on the health service frontline and the risks staff face every day.

The Freedom of Information figures reveal 275 staff at six of the county's major hospitals suffered some form of physical abuse over the past 12 months.

A further 555 were exposed to threats, verbal abuse and other aggressive behaviour during the same period.

Unions today warned the real figure could be much higher because many staff do not record incidents, branding it part of the job.

Most attacks caused minor injuries such as cuts and bruises while on another occasion a worker was threatened with a knife One member of staff spoke about how he had seen the relative of one patient spit in the face of a nurse who told him he was going to have to wait longer to see a doctor.

The assaults include incidents involving elderly and mentally ill patients as well as attacks from drunks, relatives and visitors.

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, recorded 136 assaults between April 2008 and the end of March.

The incidents led to police making 22 arrests.

A total of 427 cases of verbal abuse including threats and physically intimidating behaviour were recorded over the same period.

Worthing and Southlands Hospitals NHS Trust recorded 99 assaults and 118 verbal threats.

Figures provided by East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Eastbourne District General Hospital and the Conquest Hospital in St Leonards, recorded 40 cases of physical abuse and ten (crct) verbal assaults.

Two incidents resulted in two prosecutions for assaults on security guards.

Overall, the numbers of recorded assaults and abuse are falling compared to the year before but hospital managers say each incident is one too many.

A national staff survey carried out by the former Healthcare Commission watchdog last autumn found about a quarter of hospital workers in Sussex reported experiencing harassment, bullying or abuse from patients or relatives over the previous 12 months.

A spokeswoman for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We do not tolerate violence and aggression towards staff, patients or members of the public.

“Verbal and physical assault or threatening behaviour is illegal and we will seek the maximum penalties available in law for anyone behaving in this way.”

Charge nurse Andy Boyce has worked in Worthing Hospital's accident and emergency department for 13 years and remembers one such incident when working on a night shift.

He said: “A patient came in and began to cause disruption.

“He left the department and I went out to him and he simply turned around and whacked me on the jaw.

“It did not do any damage but it was not a pleasant experience.

“The police came and interviewed me about it but in the end I decided not to press charges because of his psychological issues.

“If he had not had those issues then I would have gone ahead with the case and the hospital would have supported me.

“I have heard of other staff in the department being hit but one of the most common things is the verbal abuse which everyone has been exposed to at some time.

“We appreciate that people can be scared and anxious coming into hospital and it is a stressful time so we will make some allowances.

“However although sometimes lashing out may be understandable, it is still not acceptable.

“We are here to do our job and try to smooth the patients through A&E to the best of our ability.

“Accepting abuse should not just be part of the job.”

Pete Croxford, Unison representative for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Any incidences of violence against staff is alarming and something that we take very seriously.

“We work closely with the trust to support staff who have had to deal with an assault or abuse.

“They do get training on how to cope with incidents which is very important.

“There is a chance that figures could be higher because they go unreported and that concerns us.

“We would urge people to report all incidents, no matter how apparently minor.

“Whether it is a tap on the hand or a black eye, it should be noted and staff should not have to put up with it.”

Brighton Kemptown MP Des Turner said he was unsurprised but still disappointed about the figures.

He said: “It is clearly unacceptable that people are attacked and abused while simply trying to do their job.

“For those patients where mental health is not an issue, I would support any legal action taken by the hospital so those responsible face the courts.”

A spokesman for the Patient Action Group in Sussex said: “Nurses and other hospital workers are there to help others and should not have to put up with attacks.

“I understand that in cases of people with mental health problems it can be different but assaults from those who are simply angry or drunk or stressed should not be happening.”

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "We do not receive a large number of calls to deal with assaults in hospitals - perhaps a couple a month in the bigger ones - but we treat any such incidents very seriously and offenders can expect to be brought to justice."