Exclusive:
NHs staff have received payouts in 1,496 cases totalling £31.4million over the last seven years, NHS records show – and legal fees of £28.4m nearly doubled the bill for the taxpayer
Violent patients have been costing the NHS around £165,000 a week in compensation to traumatised staff.
They received payouts in 1,496 cases totalling £31.4million over the last seven years, NHS records show. Legal fees of £28.4m nearly doubled the bill for the taxpayer. It means the average victim received around £21,000 each but some staff got much more. One mental health nurse was awarded £475,000 after a patient threw a television at her.
And a healthcare assistant got £55,000 after a dementia sufferer kicked her, pulled her hair and held her face against a kitchen worktop. Many A&Es now have security guards to tackle patients crazed on drink or drugs.
Others who lash out at staff include hospital visitors – while 217 members of the public themselves won compo for hospital attacks in the same seven-year period. The NHS pays out if it admits it should have done more to protect victims.
Matthew Tuff, of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, said: “No one should ever go to work and suffer violence when they are simply doing their job and helping others.” The NHS said: “Any assault or abuse towards NHS staff is completely unacceptable. We expect swift action to be taken against anyone found responsible of abuse.
“The NHS remains fully committed to tackling abuse against staff with programmes of work, including trialling body-worn cameras, recently publishing new violence prevention guidance, as well as new training to reduce VIOLENT patients have been costing the NHS around £165,000 a week in compensation to traumatised staff.
They received payouts in 1,496 cases totalling £31.4million over the last seven years, NHS records show. Legal fees of £28.4m nearly doubled the bill for the taxpayer. It means the average victim received around £21,000 each but some staff got much more.
One mental health nurse was awarded £475,000 after a patient threw a television at her. And a healthcare assistant got £55,000 after a dementia sufferer kicked her, pulled her hair and held her face against a kitchen worktop. Many A&Es now have security guards to tackle patients crazed on drink or drugs.
Others who lash out at staff include hospital visitors – while 217 members of the public themselves won compo for hospital attacks in the same seven-year period. The NHS pays out if it admits it should have done more to protect victims. Matthew Tuff, of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, said: “No one should ever go to work and suffer violence when they are simply doing their job and helping others.”
The NHS said: “Any assault or abuse towards NHS staff is completely unacceptable. We expect swift action to be taken against anyone found responsible of abuse. The NHS remains fully committed to tackling abuse against staff with programmes of work, including trialling body-worn cameras, recently publishing new violence prevention guidance, as well as new training to reduce
