NHS WORKERS UNDER ATTACK There were 23,279 assaults on staff in 2017.. 1 every 23 mins Trusts spend £200m over 4yrs on security to protect employees Emergency wards are often ‘full of drunk and suicidal patients’

including eye-gouging – and one was beaten so severely, she was knocked unconscious.

“It took six members of staff to pull the patient off her and for weeks after the attack, she was too traumatised to leave her house. It was months before she could return to a front-line role.”

Trade unions have warned escalating violence and aggression towards NHS staff is having a “catastrophic” effect on their own mental health.

They report numerous assaults, including kicking, punching, biting, spitting and sexual assault.

Nick Scriven, president of the Society for Acute Medicine, said: “This is a huge problem for staff in emergency departments.

“Alcohol plays a massive part. When you mix that with everything else that can go on in an A&E, you can have a cocktail for violence. There has always been a need for security, but it has had to get much heavier 24/7. It can be horrendous for staff realising that being at work is not safe for them.”

Freedom of Information requests were sent to all 157 hospital trusts for data on private security spending for the past four years.

Only 73 provided data for all four years, which showed the amount paid to security firms going up every year.

If all 157 trusts had provided data, this suggests the total security spend in 2014 would have been £45.8million rising to £50.3million in 2017/18. The data suggests the total spend for all trusts over the four-year period would be £191.7million. Last year, the average spent on private security guards per trust was £441,000.

The real amount is likely to be higher as a number of trusts who said they spent nothing on private firms had in-house security guards.

The Mirror also submitted requests to all NHS trusts for data on attacks on staff. Responses from 87 trusts revealed 12,900 violent assaults last

A UNION boss has issued an apology after it emerged that nurses’ pay rises may not be as generous as they were led to believe.

Royal College of Nursing chief executive Janet Davies admitted that claims that all staff would get a 3% pay year. If all 157 trusts had provided data, it suggests there would have been 23,279 assaults during 2017/18. The real number could be even higher if some incidents go unreported.

Unison head of health Sara Gorton said: “These figures reflect the unacceptable level of assaults on staff.

“Their safety and that of patients should be paramount. But paying private security firms to provide protection should only ever be part of the response. The Government needs to give the NHS money to

rise were “not the case”. For those in the middle of a pay band, some of the wage hike may come as part of their regular annual increase.

Only half will receive the rise straight away. The rest will get an average pay hike of around 1.5%, and more

with their annual increase. Ms Davies wrote: “In good faith, we told all members that they would receive a 3% uplift this summer.

“I now find that this is not the case for everyone. I can only apologise. I am determined to resolve it.” employ more staff. This would make attacks less likely.”

It comes after the Tories decided to stop collecting data on assaults on NHS staff.

Last year, the Government scrapped NHS Protect, which was responsible for tracking attacks, after the data had shown numbers going up.

Ms Sumley added: “The official body, before it was disbanded, warned ministers the level of assaults was rising. It should not have been removed and the Government must take their role more seriously.”

A Department of Health spokesman said: “We are backing crucial legal changes to ensure those who are violent face the full force of the law.

“NHS employers should have no hesitation in involving police if staff are subject to aggression or violence.”

TRAUMA CASE Staff member is assaulted on a ward