Those who assault health workers will be prosecuted

Health workers do a vital job, working hard to help people and save lives. They should not have to deal with the threat of violence. Working with our partners, the CPS is determined to ensure such incidents are dealt with and result in prosecutions.

Recent studies suggest health staff can be up to four times more likely to experience work-related violence and aggression than other workers. The true scale of the problem is difficult to determine as many health workers accept acts of aggression as part of the job and a lot of incidents go unreported. Paramedics, doctors, nursing staff and receptionists frequently have to put up with verbal abuse and while physical attacks are still fairly rare, they do happen.

The most recent NHS data available shows that in 2009/10 there were 56,718 assaults, up from 54,758 in the previous year, a rise of 3.5%. Some 38,959 were in the mental health and learning disability sector, 13,219 were in general hospitals and 1,262 were against ambulance staff. Another 3,278 occurred in GPs surgeries and other centres.

The following example is, sadly, fairly typical of this type of offence: In August 2009 a pensioner from Winchcombe was jailed for six months for attacking an ambulance worker he had called out to help him. Cheltenham magistrates heard how 67-year-old Robert Fowler became aggressive when the emergency care practitioner suggested his discomfort may be down to the amount of alcohol he had drunk.

Fowler swore at the medic, slapped him and punched him in the chest. The medic immediately left the premises but Fowler, still shouting and swearing, followed him, got into the ambulance and began hurling medical equipment on to the floor. When  another ambulance crew member and police officers arrived at the scene, it took three people to restrain Fowler, who was then arrested and handcuffed.

In a victim personal statement the medic said: "This incident has left me shaken and shocked. In nine years of pre-hospital care I have not previously been subject to physical assault and only time will tell what impact this will have on my ability to go about my work."

The CPS consider violence and threatening behaviour towards health workers to be unacceptable. Cases like this should send out a clear message: If there is sufficient evidence that you have assaulted or threatened a health worker, the CPS will prosecute you.

For further information on how the CPS prosecutes crimes against health workers please go to:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/publications/agencies/mounhs.html