Physical assault and verbal abuse against staff in the healthcare sector is escalating with many incidents going unreported. In 2006, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) experienced an unprecedented amount of attacks against its staff. These included:

• 116,000 reported attacks (both verbal and serious physical assaults)
• Over half were verbally abused by a member of the public or patient in the last twelve months
• 23% of staff suffered either a threat of violence or were actually physical attacked
• 80% of nursing staff in mental health units experienced violence or threatening behaviour
• 39% subsequently suffered from work-related stress
• Only a fifth report verbal or physical abuse due to lack of evidence

It is widely recognised that lone working staff within this group face increased risks, because they do not have the immediate support of colleagues or others, such as security staff, if an incident occurs. For example, they may not be able to escape easily from a situation, particularly if they are in someone’s home; they may be working in a high crime area or an isolated rural location; or they may be working at night, away from a main building, or where no one is around. Additionally, they may be in possession of equipment or drugs that might be attractive to thieves and who, in some cases, might use violence to achieve this.

Reliance Protect
Following trials and due diligence of lone worker solutions in 2004/05, the NHS selected Reliance Protect as its preferred lone worker solution. A framework agreement has now been set up which can be leveraged by any public sector organisation. The complete solution includes the supply of a device, 24/7 monitoring, mobile network connection and airtime, full user training and support and full reports for management audits. The entire solution is available for under £10 a month – less than 33p per day!

For more information go to the NHS page on this website or go to http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/2460.aspx

Who’s at Risk?

• Ambulance personnel, such as paramedics or emergency responders
• Patient transport services
• Receptionists working alone in a clinic reception area
• Community mental health workers and assertive outreach workers
• Community psychiatric nurses, social workers and occupational therapists
• Staff who see patients/service users for individual sessions in wards or clinics
• Nursing and clinical staff on escort duty
• Carers in the community and in community homes
• Technicians working alone in a laboratory to provide an out-of-hours service
• GPs in single-handed practices
• Community pharmacists
• Dentists
• Opticians
• NHS security staff on patrols, particularly at night
• Hospital porters conveying medicines/samples etc to wards and departments
• On-call staff required to respond to clinical or non-clinical emergencies out of hours and off-site – for example, clinicians and estates engineers
• Those who open (or reopen) and close NHS buildings
• Smoke-stop coordinators or counsellors
• NHS staff who use areas off-site to smoke
• NHS staff travelling to and from vehicles/bicycles parked on NHS premises or in the community.