Research And Statistics On Assaults Against NHS Staff

NHS staff perform incredibly tough jobs day in day out. What makes this job harder is when patients or those they’re trying to help assault or abuse them.

We receive lots of enquiries from NHS staff who have been assaulted at work so it prompted us to investigate and conduct our own research to uncover the scale of the problem

Below, you can find the results of our research.

The Background To Our Research

With the most recent NHS staff survey showing that around 50% of ambulance trust workers experience physical abuse, we set out to investigate the scale of NHS staff experiencing physical or verbal assaults while at work.

Legal Expert revealed that the NHS has paid out a staggering £20.7 million in NHS staff assault claims in the last five years.

The eye-watering amount was paid out for a total of 1,017 NHS staff assault claims since 2019.

Legal Expert solicitor, Patrick Mallon says: “These figures are extremely concerning. Nobody should have to feel threatened at work – especially hard-working, vital NHS staff. 

“Something must be done to tackle abuse towards NHS staff who, for the majority, are just trying to do their jobs.”

Physical assaults on NHS staff are defined as: “The intentional application of force to the person of another without lawful justification, resulting in physical injury or personal discomfort.”

How We Conducted Our Research Into NHS Staff Assaults

We submitted a Freedom of Information request to NHS Resolution – which is the legal body of the NHS.

We asked for the number of claims and incidents of staff assaults within each NHS trust in England. Secondly, we requesting information regarding the number of legal claims that had been closed or settled as well as the amount of damages paid out per trust.

The Statistics And Findings

Findings revealed that the biggest damages payouts awarded for such claims was recorded by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which amounted to £1,180,394 for just 10 claims.

Top 10 highest damages payouts for NHS staff assault claims by Trust

The trust, which has locations in Brighton, Hove, East and West Sussex, recorded 20 claims and incidents of NHS staff assaults in total since 2019.

In England, the highest number of NHS staff assault claims was recorded at Mersey Care NHS Trust in the North West.

Out of 236 NHS Trust, it had the highest number of staff assault claims. A total of 62 were lodged within Mersey Care since 2019 of which there were damages payments awarded.

The compensation paid out by the trust amounted to £1,159,679 – the second highest in England.

The news comes amid responses to a separate FOI request that revealed there were at least 41,226 physical assaults on NHS staff working in hospitals in 2023, an increase on the previous year and a 21% jump since 2019. 

Around 14% of NHS staff have self-reported that they have experienced at least one incident of physical violence from patients, service users, relatives or other members of the public in the last 12 months, according to the latest NHS staff survey. 

But the ambulance sector is the worst affected, with almost 50% of paramedics experiencing physical abuse. 

Legal Expert’s investigation has gathered all the NHS trusts where staff have lodged assault claims. Below are the top 10 trusts with the highest number of staff assault claims:

The trusts with the highest number of NHS staff assault claims are as follows:

• Mersey Care NHS FT (62)
• Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS FT (34)
• Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS FT (33)
• Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT (26)
• Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (23)
• Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust (20)
• Central and North West London NHS FT (20)
• East London NHS FT (20)
• South London & Maudsley NHS FT (20)
• West London NHS FT (17)

Legal Expert solicitor, Mr Mallon added: “Whilst claiming against medical bodies like the NHS can seem daunting, such claims help highlight the issues and hopefully start the conversation that leads to change to ensure no staff members ever fall victim to either physical or verbal abuse in the future.”. 

NHS Resolution manages a number of risk-pooling schemes (similar to insurance) for the NHS, one of which is the Liability to Third Parties Scheme (LTPS).

This covers both employers’ liability (for example, in relation to duties of care owed to employees) and public liability (i.e. in relation to duties of care owed other patients, visitors, and other members of the public). 

The claims referred to are LTPS claims. 

Results by NHS Trust

Between 2019-2021, there were 98 NHS Trusts with less than 5 staff assault claims. The total compensation paid amounted to £4,716,991.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £1,180,394

Number of claims and incidents: 20

Number of claims only: 10

Average compensation payout per claim: £118,039.40

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £1,158,679

Number of claims and incidents: 122

Number of claims only: 62

Average compensation payout per claim: £18,688.37

Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £778,304

Number of claims and incidents: 19

Number of claims only: 12

Average compensation payout per claim: £64,858.66

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £695,753

Number of claims and incidents: 81

Number of claims only: 26

Average compensation payout per claim: £26,759.73

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £582,424

Number of claims and incidents: 39

Number of claims only: 11

Average compensation payout per claim: £52,947.63

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £556,986

Number of claims and incidents: 28

Number of claims only: 11

Average compensation payout per claim: £50,653.09

West London NHS Trust

Total damages paid: £539,923

Number of claims and incidents: 42

Number of claims only: 17

Average compensation payout per claim: £31,760.17

South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £522,659

Number of claims and incidents: 33

Number of claims only: 20

Average compensation payout per claim: £26,132.95

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £500,853

Number of claims and incidents: 65

Number of claims only: 33

Average compensation payout per claim: £15,177.36

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £486,117

Number of claims and incidents: 36

Number of claims only: 15

Average compensation payout per claim: £32,407.80

Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £456,66

Number of claims and incidents: 41

Number of claims only: 16

Average compensation payout per claim: £28,541.43

Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £395,583

Number of claims and incidents: 57

Number of claims only: 34

Average compensation payout per claim: £11,634.79

Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £361,902

Number of claims and incidents: 15

Number of claims only: 12

Average compensation payout per claim: £30,158.50

Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust

Total damages paid: £358,290

Number of claims and incidents: 32

Number of claims only: 20

Average compensation payout per claim: £17,914.50

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £356,387

Number of claims and incidents:

Number of claims only: 5

Average compensation payout per claim: £71,277.40

Cheshire & Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £323,404

Number of claims and incidents: 37

Number of claims only: 16

Average compensation payout per claim: £20,212.75

North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £318,147

Number of claims and incidents: 6

Number of claims only: 5

Average compensation payout per claim: £63,629.40

Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £305,604

Number of claims and incidents: 21

Number of claims only: 11

Average compensation payout per claim: £27,782.18

Avon & Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust

Total damages paid: £300,872

Number of claims and incidents: 18

Number of claims only: 10

Average compensation payout per claim: £30,087.20

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £296,784

Number of claims and incidents: 21

Number of claims only: 9

Average compensation payout per claim: £32,976

North East London NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £296,039

Number of claims and incidents: 31

Number of claims only: 13

Average compensation payout per claim: £22,772.23

East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £241,890

Number of claims and incidents:

Number of claims only: 6

Average compensation payout per claim: £40,315

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £237,340

Number of claims and incidents: 22

Number of claims only: 9

Average compensation payout per claim: £26,371.11

South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust

Total damages paid: £229,729

Number of claims and incidents: 23

Number of claims only: 12

Average compensation payout per claim: £19,144.08

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £224,241

Number of claims and incidents: 17

Number of claims only: 6

Average compensation payout per claim: £37,373.50

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £215,051

Number of claims and incidents: 28

Number of claims only: 10

Average compensation payout per claim: £21,505

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Total damages paid: £210,700

Number of claims and incidents: 35

Number of claims only: 20

Average compensation payout per claim: £10,535

How Legal Expert Can Help With Claims For Assaults At Work

If you’ve suffered an injury after being assaulted at work, we can help. Here at Legal Expert, we have a team of specialist accident at work claim solicitors who can get you the compensation and justice you deserve.

We offer a free eligibility check and advice via our 24-hour helpline and live chat service. So if you have a question, please get in touch with us today.