NHS workers report facing violence and aggression from patients, their families, and even fellow staff members
There has been a significant rise in incidents of abuse towards NHS workers in recent years, leading one hospital to pledge to outfit its staff with body cameras to prevent assault and aggression and workers claiming that they go to work ‘expecting to get hurt’.
A new YouGov survey reveals the scale of violence and aggression reported by patient-facing healthcare workers. Three in 10 (30%) NHS workers who interact with patients say they experience violence from a patient at least once a year, including one in 20 (5%) who say they are subject to attacks at least once a week. A further 15% say they experience violence from a patient’s family member at least once a year.
In addition, two-thirds (67%) of patient-facing NHS workers say they experience aggressive behaviour from a patient at least once a year, with a fifth (19%) saying they face aggression at least once a week and 3% every day.
A similar proportion of patient-facing workers (64%) say they experience aggressive behaviour from a patient’s family member at least once a year.
A quarter of NHS workers experience aggression from fellow staff members at least once a year
For all NHS workers, including those who don’t work in patient-facing roles, a quarter (26%) say they face aggressive behaviour from fellow staff at least once a year – 27% of patient-facing workers, and 22% of workers that don’t interact with patients. One in eight (12%) say they have ever experienced violence from a fellow staff member – 13% of patient-facing workers, and 8% of workers that don’t interact with patients. This includes some 3% of healthcare workers who say they experience violence from fellow staff members at least once a year.
Men are more likely to say they have experienced violence from patients than women
Male and female NHS patient-facing healthcare workers report differing experiences of violence and aggression from patients. While a third (36%) of male healthcare workers report experiencing violence from a patient at least once a year, this figure falls to 28% of women. Similarly, a fifth (20%) of men say they’ve experienced violence from a patient’s family member, compared to 14% of women.
However, when it comes to aggressive behaviour, the numbers are more even. Around the same proportion of male and female NHS patient-facing NHS workers say they have experienced aggressive behaviour from a patient at least once a year, 69% and 66% respectively. The figures are also similar for aggressive behaviour from a patient’s family member – 62% of men and 64% of women say they experience this at least once a year.
Are coronavirus patients and their families more likely to be aggressive?
Doctors, nurses and other front-line NHS workers have reported facing abuse from Coronavirus patients and their families, particularly those who have hostile attitudes towards the Covid-19 vaccine, believe that the government is deliberately exaggerating the severity of the illness, or wish to use experimental treatments like Ivermectin.
However, most patient-facing healthcare workers (60%) say there is no difference in aggressive or belligerent behaviour with respect to their treatment in hospital for Coronavirus patients, with 9% saying Covid patients are less likely to be aggressive, 6% saying they are more likely to be aggressive and 25% unsure.
A slightly higher percentage (16%) say that the family members of Covid-19 patients were more likely to be aggressive or belligerent about their treatment, but far more (53%) say there is no difference. Just 5% say the families of Covid-19 patients are less likely to be aggressive, and 25% are unsure.
See full results here
