Hospital staff in Lincolnshire are assaulted once every two days on average, acording to new figures which show the number of physical attacks have hit a record high.
Exclusive figures obtained by Lincolnshire Live show 200 physical assaults against staff were reported at United Lincolnshire Hospitals in 2017/18.
That was up from 169 in 2016/17 and just 157 in 2010/11, when published figures began.
Bodies that represent hospital staff described the rising numbers as “worrying”.
Staff were injured 122 times as a result of assaults in 2017/18.
Staff at the trust were slightly more likely to be assaulted than the national average.
There were 27 assaults per 1,000 staff in 2017/18, compared to 26 per 1,000 staff across England as a whole.
Dame Donna Kinnair, acting chief executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “It’s extremely worrying to find out that the number of attacks on hospital staff is relentlessly rising again, after a small reduction two years ago.
“The fact that assaults on staff have increased by 70 per cent since 2010 shows that ministers, the NHS and individual employers have still not got a grip on this problem.
“Workplace violence for anyone working on the frontline is unacceptable – as a nurse myself, I’ve seen and experienced situations that have made me feel unsafe or under threat.”
Across England, hospital staff were assaulted 23,009 times in 2017/18.
The numbers suggest attacks on staff are at a record high.
Figures previously published by NHS England showed 20,018 assaults in 2015/16, with numbers having been on the rise since they were first recorded at 13,417 in 2010/11.
Figures suggest hospital staff in England were 49 per cent more likely to be assaulted in 2017/18 than seven years ago, with 26 assaults per 1,000 staff compared to 17 per 1,000 in 2010/11.
Overall figures for 2017/18 are likely to be even higher as nine hospital trusts in England did not provide figures in response to the FOI request.
Dr Rob Harwood, BMA consultants committee chair, said: “The BMA has long been concerned about the risk and impact of violence on NHS staff, and these figures show a worrying rise in attacks taking place against people doing their utmost to provide high-quality care to patients in an under-pressure health service.
“In an NHS blighted with rising workloads, long wait times, and doctors and colleagues in chronically short-staffed wards under increasing pressure to deliver, there is a greater risk that patients and their loved ones become understandably frustrated.
“However, there is no excuse for this frustration to be taken out on staff who are simply trying to help.
“Violence against staff is not only physically and mentally harmful for the individuals targeted, but can be costly for an already stretched NHS, as hospitals and other providers are forced to pay for security services, investigations and cover for sick leave, and therefore there must be decisive action to tackle this problem and provide quality support to those who find themselves the victims of physical abuse.”
Hospital trusts across England recorded just 216 criminal sanctions against those who assaulted staff in 2017/18, as well as 969 civil and administrative sanctions – although many trusts did not record this information.
The available figures show people were charged 97 times and given verbal warnings by police on 38 occasions, while police took no action in 364 cases.
The victim chose not to pursue the case in 1,071 cases in 2017/18.
Dame Kinnair said far more needed to be done to protect frontline staff, such as working closely with police and better recording of attacks, and trusts needed to show zero tolerance of attacks and be prepared to prosecute offenders.
The RCN played a close part in shaping the new Assaults on Emergency Workers Act that came into force last year.
She said: “No-one deserves to be attacked, shouted at or threatened in the course of doing their job, and the RCN will continue to work to try to protect nurses.”
Across England, around half of assaults were carried out by someone who did not know what they were doing, or did not know what they were doing was wrong because of illness, mental ill health, a severe learning disability, or because of treatment they had received.
Dr Harwood said: “While we hope recent increases in jail sentences for people who attack emergency workers may help reduce incidents, we must also look at the wider environment and how it may contribute to reasons behind why assaults take place.
“Alcohol is often a contributing factor, particularly in emergency departments, and more must be done, outside of medical settings, to reduce alcohol abuse.
“Similarly, assaults can often occur when treating frail, older dementia patients or those with severe mental health problems.
“Situations in which these patients are inappropriately admitted to hospitals because of social care bed shortages or gaps in mental health provision are likely to only exacerbate the risk of attacks.
“The BMA believes that there is a clear need for measures to be put in place to minimise the likelihood of attacks, support staff who experience them and to ensure that anyone who commits an act of violence is dealt with appropriately.”
NHS England did not respond to a request for comment.
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