§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many assaults there have been on paramedics and hospital staff in each year since 1997 in(a) the UK, (b) the north-east and (c) South Tyneside. [26040]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation on the levels of violent incidents by individual staff group is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by national health service employers. Data on violent incidents involving all staff in the NHS were not collected centrally for 1997–98.
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. 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. Figures for recorded violent incidents in 2000–01 are currently being analysed by the Department.
The number of reported violent incidents for South Tyneside Health Care NHS Trust and for the North-East Ambulance Service NHS Trust is shown in the table.
681W
South Tyneside health care NHS trust Calendar Year Violent incidents 1997 27 1998 114 1999 326 2000 558 2001 401
North-east ambulance service NHS trust Financial Year Violent incidents 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998 39 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999 66 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2000 142 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 201 1 April 2001 to 31 December 20011 188 1 To date The increase in reported violent incidents by staff is as a result of both on-going local and national campaigns to tackle violence against staff working in the NHS. The reduction in reported violence in 2001 is however a more meaningful comparison, indicating an actual reduction in violent incidents over that 12 month period.