HC Deb 20 June 2002 vol 387 cc554-5W
Dr. Fox

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many physical assaults against nurses were recorded in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001; [61449]

(2) when he last met representatives of (a) Unison and (b) the Royal College of Nursing to discuss violence against nurses; [61448]

(3) what action the Government are taking to reduce assaults on nurses. [61419]

Mr. Hutton

Violence against any member of staff working in the national health service is unacceptable. Significant action has been taken at both national and local levels to tackle the problem of violence as part of the cross-Government NHS zero tolerance zone campaign. This includes the issuing of new sentencing guidelines to magistrates courts, the publication of new guidelines on the withholding of treatment from violent and abusive patients and, for the first time ever, the allocation of central funding to support the large number of local initiatives being introduced to protect staff. A distance learning package developed specifically to support nurses in dealing with violence has also been issued jointly with the Royal College of Nursing.

Information on the levels of violent incidents by individual staff group is not collected centrally, but may be held at a local level by NHS employers. The results of the 2000–01 survey of reported violent or abusive incidents, accidents involving staff and sickness absence in NHS trust and health authorities, in England, have been placed in the Library, along with a report setting out the Government's proposed action in the light of the findings.

"Delivering the NHS Plan-next steps on investment, next steps on reform" included the commitment to ensure that all general practitioners have access to secure services for the treatment of violent patients, and the Government will be providing extra resources to primary care trusts to deal with violent patients.

Officials have worked closely with the Royal College of Nursing, UNISON and other staff representative bodies on the development of each stage of the zero tolerance campaign, and will continue to do so.