Leeds hospitals: 'Alarming' figures show year-on-year increase of assaults on staff at St James's and LGI

The figures – acquired by the YEP through a Freedom of Information request – show that at Leeds General Infirmary and St James’s Hospital there was a significant increase in the number of physical and non-physical assaults reported in 2023 compared to previous years.

The figures have also been provided for the number of sexual assaults reported at the hospitals, although they are limited as a means of protecting the identity of victims.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has said that assaults on staff are “unacceptable” and urged staff to report them.

A union rep has described the figures as “truly alarming” and said that “over a decade of cuts by the Conservative government” had left departments understaffed and increased frustrations.

The figures have been acquired for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

They show that at Leeds General Infirmary there were 191 incidents of physical assault reported in 2023, compared to 77, 104, 177 and 162 in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.

There were 100 cases of non-physical assault reported, compared to 41, 39, 50 and 42 in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.

At St James’s Hospital there were 374 incidents of physical assault reported, compared with 150, 204, 291 and 308 in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.

167 incidents of non-physical assault were reported in 2023. There were 55, 53, 80 and 60 reported in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 respectively.

The figures also show at at Chapel Allerton Hospital there was 23 physical assaults reported in 2023 compared to 11 the previous year and 13 non-physical assaults, compared with 7 in 2022.

The figures on the number of sexual assaults at the hospitals are limited to protect the identity of complainants but they show that 12 were reported at Leeds General Infirmary in 2022 and 14 and St James’s Hospital in the same year.

Craige Richardson, Director of Estates and Facilities at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Any incidence of violence or aggression towards our colleagues is unacceptable. We ask that patients and the public visiting our hospitals treat our staff with kindness and respect as they are doing their best to care for you, often during difficult times.

"At Leeds Teaching Hospitals, we encourage colleagues to report any incidence of violence or aggression, no matter how small it may seem. There are official channels in place which are regularly shared so that everyone feels safe at work and is properly supported.

“We take the safety of our staff incredibly seriously. No attack, verbal or physical, will be tolerated and any offence will be pursued.”

UNISON Yorkshire and Humberside regional organiser Gary Cleaver said: “Any report of an NHS worker being assaulted is unacceptable, but to hear the numbers continue to increase is truly alarming.

“Staff in the NHS do incredible stressful jobs in pressurised environments – especially over the past few years with the coronavirus pandemic.

“Many departments are understaffed, and those who remain are overworked due to over a decade of cuts by the Conservative government. Longer wait times and any other causes of frustration lie with the MPs cutting away at the NHS – not staff who are working hard to keep the service running.

“But no matter what frustrations people have, it is completely unacceptable for staff to be assaulted. Their job is stressful enough without having to worry about their safety too.

“UNISON’s priority is to make sure the NHS is safe for both patients and staff, and I would encourage any workers finding themselves in this position to report it, and speak to their union rep. UNISON will do all it can to support staff members impacted by this.”

Chief Inspector Lucy Leadbeater of Leeds District Police said: “It is completely unacceptable that any member of hospital staff should be assaulted, physically or verbally, simply for going about their daily duties of caring for patients.

“Assaults on NHS staff as with assaults on any emergency worker will not be tolerated. Our officers work with NHS Leeds Teaching Hospitals and other health care partners to ensure they are supported and can report incidents so they can be fully investigated.”