How common is violence against NHS staff in England and what is being done to stop it?

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by David Batty and Anna BawdenJanuary 11, 2026 at 08:00 AM

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long article 6 min

A Guardian investigation revealed a significant increase in reported violence and aggression by patients against NHS staff in England. Freedom of Information requests from 212 trusts showed at least 295,711 alleged incidents between 2022 and 2025, rising from 91,175 in 2022-23 to 104,079 in 2024-25. This equates to roughly 285 daily reported cases in the most recent year, though the actual number is likely higher due to underreporting and incomplete data. An NHS staff survey indicated that one in seven workers experienced physical violence, potentially equating to over a million incidents annually. Mental health and learning disability trusts recorded the highest numbers of violent incidents. The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act from 2018 aims to protect staff, with penalties including imprisonment for those who attack emergency workers.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 50% Health and Safety Executive (HSE) 60% The Guardian ×270% England ×380% National Health Service (NHS) ×690%

Keywords

violence against nhs staff 100% nhs 90% physical violence 80% aggression 70% patient violence 70% sexual harm 60% health and safety executive 50% assaults on emergency workers (offences) act 50% mental health trusts 40% learning disability trusts 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative

Score: -0.70

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Source

The Guardian - World News

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

England

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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violence against nhs staff nhs physical violence aggression patient violence sexual harm health and safety executive assaults on emergency workers (offences) act mental health trusts learning disability trusts

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