Shock new figures released by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have revealed that 5,182 healthcare staff working for the health board suffered verbal of physical assault while at work in the past 12 months.
The figures come despite a concerted and ongoing campaign to combat aggression against the 38,000 staff who provide healthcare to the over 1.2 million people who live in the area covered by the largest health board in the UK.
In response, Anne MacPherson, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, said: “Despite us introducing a range of measures to protect our staff we are unfortunately still seeing incidents of both physical and verbal abuse.
“In some instances staff have required support from Police Scotland because of the danger to their own and patients’ wellbeing, and that is unacceptable.
“As a Board we are committed to reducing and deterring such incidents as well as ensuring staff are trained to deal with situations when they do arise. We must do all we can to protect our staff whilst delivering our services 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Our staff should be able to fulfil their duties without fear of assault or abuse.”
Of the 5,000 plus incidents that took place between the end of May of 2018 and the end of May this year, there were 2857 reports of patient physical assaults on staff, 13 reports of sexual harassment, six of stalking, 1188 reports of threats of physical violence and 1070 reports of verbal abuse.
Kenneth Fleming, Head of Health and Safety, added: “NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has a proactive Violence and Aggression Policy and also a Standards of Behaviour document, which states that our staff are entitled to work free of threats, assaults and intimidation.
“We take any acts of physical or verbal abuse very seriously. Where staff are assaulted or abused while at work, whether in our hospitals or in the community, we fully support them and encourage them to pursue their abusers through the criminal justice system.”
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde hopes that by highlighting the extent of the incidents, it can help reduce and deter such incidents in the future.
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