UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today welcomed new guidance from NHS Protect on helping NHS staff to deal with challenging behaviour, when it is a symptom of a patient’s illness or condition.
The union is concerned at the rising tide of violence, both physical and verbal, against NHS staff but staff are also acutely aware that in certain circumstances this can be down to a patients underlying medical problem.
Christina McAnea, UNISON Head of Health, said:
“Only last week new statistics from NHS Protect revealed that more than 173 NHS workers are physically assaulted every day, so any guidance on helping to protect workers must be welcome.
“The guidance contains a welcome emphasis on the importance of Trusts carrying out robust risk assessments but also highlights the need for trained staff and adequate staffing levels.
“The key to keeping staff safe is to have help close at hand and that is why we this guidance may be undermined by Government cuts which have left some workplaces dangerously exposed to risk.
“Getting the message out to all NHS staff means that it is crucial for NHS Protect to work with trade union safety reps to provide a safe working environment for both patients and staff. We will be working to ensure that any lessons are passed to staff.”
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