Shropshire health staff attacked more than 800 times in one year

NHS Protect, which leads on works to safeguard NHS staff and resources from crime, has released figures on reported physical assaults against NHS staff in throughout England in 2014/15.

The new statistics show there were 67,864 reported physical assaults against NHS staff throughout the country – a small reduction from 68,683 in 2013/14.

Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust reported 191 assaults against its 6,361-strong workforce in 2014/15, of which 168 involved medical factors where the perpetrator did not know what they were doing, or did not know what they were doing was wrong due to medical illness, mental ill-health, severe learning disabilities or due to treatment.

Eight criminal sanctions, which could include cautions, fines and prison sentences, were handed out as a result. In some cases police officers were called into hospital after cases of assault.

There were also 23 civil and administrative sanctions issued, which according to the report can range from acceptable behaviour agreements to an injunction.

South Staffordshire and Shropshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which has 3,307 staff, reported there had been 638 physical assaults against its workforce.

All but 10 of these involved medical factors and led to four criminal sanctions and four civil and administrative sanctions being handed out.

The trust NHS Trust provides mental health, learning disability and specialist children's services in south Staffordshire, and mental health and learning disability services in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Powys.

According to the figures, there were also 28 physical assaults on staff at Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust – all of which involved medical factors. This trust, which provides community-based health services for adults and children in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, has a workforce of 1,784.

The NHS Trust, which provides community-based health services for adults and children in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, has a workforce of 1,784.

A total of four civil and administrative sanctions were handed out as a result.

Across England, criminal action sanctions following reported assaults increased in 2014/15 period to 1,679 – up by 30 from 1,649 in 2013/14. There were 1,077 civil and administrative sanctions issued across the country during 2014/15 – the first year they have been reported.

Richard Hampton, head of external engagement and services at NHS Protect, said: "No NHS staff should be physically assaulted and we encourage staff who are victims of violence to report it so that appropriate action can be taken.

"While it is encouraging to see the total figure going in the right direction there is no room for complacency after this small reduction in reported assaults."

"We urge all health bodies, in all sectors, to take advantage of the joint working agreement with the police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

"They can build local arrangements on this national agreement to ensure criminal assaults are identified and do not go unpunished."

He said a new partnership between protocol by NHS Protect, police chiefs the National Police Chiefs' Council and the Crown Prosecution Service will shortly be launched to help protect staff in NHS mental health settings.