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NHS slam ‘unacceptable’ rise in physical violence and sexual assault towards frontline staff

It comes after an annual staff survey giving a snapshot of what it’s like to work in the NHS.

Emily Sergeant - 18th March 2025

Frontline NHS staff are facing a rise in physical violence, inappropriate sexual behaviour, and discrimination at the hands of members of the public.

According to the shocking revelations from the latest annual NHS staff survey published last week, around one in seven NHS staff (14.38%) experienced some from of physical violence directed at them from patients, their relatives, or other members of the public in 2024.

The report revealed that the number of attacks on staff has increased by nearly 14% since 2023.

Staff experiencing discrimination at work reached also reached its highest level in five years, with more than half (54%) saying the discrimination they received from patients and the public was based on their ethnic background.

One in 12 (8.82%) NHS workers experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in 2024, which included offensive comments, touching, and even assault.

On top of these findings from the staff survey, the national education and training survey – which was also published last week, and seeks to hear the thoughts and experiences of those currently training within the medical field – found that 13% of learners said they experienced or witnessed forms of ‘unwanted, harmful, or inappropriate’ sexual behaviour by patients.

A whopping 744,358 NHS staff members took part in the 2024 survey, which is the highest ever level in staff in its 20-year history.

The survey gives a snapshot of what it’s like to work in the NHS, right from the beginning of a career, throughout their working lives, and into retirement, and are used by NHS organisations to ‘make things better’ for staff and patients.

“It’s totally unacceptable that NHS staff are facing physical violence, sexual assault, and discrimination from patients and the public while at work,” commented Dr Navina Evans, who is the Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer for NHS England, as the survey findings were published.

“We know that the most important way to stamp out incidents of unacceptable behaviour is to give people the confidence to report it, and it is important that the voice of every member of NHS staff is heard through these surveys and acted upon.

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“The NHS sexual safety charter has also now been adopted by every integrated care board and NHS trust in England to enforce a zero-tolerance approach to letting unwanted behaviours go unaddressed”.

Featured Image – Pxhere