Drop in assaults on Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust staff

Between 2013 and 2014, 103 physical assaults were reported by hospital workers at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Just over half of the incidents involved medical incidents.

The figure is a 35 per cent reduction on the figure reported 2012-13, where the trust had 159 physical assaults on staff reported and 228 non-physical assaults.

A spokesperson for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust said: “The majority of physical assaults are related to medical factors, for example a patient becoming disorientated after recovering from anaesthesia or because a patient has a head injury which can affect their behaviour towards staff and carers.

“We have a number of measures to help deal with any incidents of assault on staff.

“We have a dedicated security team available on both hospital sites 24/7 who provide support to our clinical staff in managing difficult situations. We have issued monitored alarm systems to staff in some wards to provide them with a means of raising an alarm if needed.”

He said all staff are given conflict management training on induction to the hospital trust and some staff receive training in physical intervention. “We also have CCTV coverage in our hospitals and we work closely with the police to ensure any criminal behaviour is reported,” he added.