§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many paramedics are on long-term sick leave in England as a result of(a) work-related injuries and (b) being physically assaulted by the general public in the line of work. [24332]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 8 January 2002]: Information on levels of sickness absence resulting from work-related injuries or violence at work, by individual staff group, is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by individual national health service employers.
The Department conducted a survey of NHS trusts in England in 1998–99. The survey found that, on average, seven violent incidents were recorded each month per 1,000 staff. This is equivalent to approximately 65,000 violent incidents against NHS trust staff each year. The average monthly accident rate for NHS ambulance trusts was 38 per month per 1,000 staff. Details of the survey can be found in Health Service Circular 1999/229: `Managing Violence, Accidents and Sickness Absence in the NHS', a copy of which is in the Library.
The average sickness absence rate for staff directly employed by NHS ambulance trusts in 1999 was 6.6 per cent.