One in five NHS staff who are LGBTQ+ say they have been attacked while working in the last 12 months, new figures reveal.
When responding to the 2018 NHS Staff Survey, more than 20% of those identifying as gay and bisexual reported experiencing at least one attack in the last 12 months from patients, service users, relatives or other members of the public.
This is more than 5% higher than the figure for all NHS staff, the survey results also showed.
A leading LGBTQ+ rights charity said the figures “paint a troubling picture” and said it was important the NHS continues to invest in measures to tackle discrimination against staff.
The NHS data also showed a third of ambulance staff have been victims of violence in the past year. If a £8bn pilot is successful, paramedics could soon be wearing body cameras to help tackle the issue, it has been announced.
In a speech on Wednesday, health minister Stephen Hammond will declare that despite the overall decrease in reports of violence there is no room for complacency.
He will also call for a collective endeavour to ensure all NHS staff are treated with respect and able to carry out their duties without fear of violence or abuse.
He will say: “We will do this only through our collective endeavour, a broad coalition of NHS organisations, care services, national government, local authorities and the judiciary.
“By taking decisive action against those who attack and abuse others and creating environments where safety and respect win out over intimidation and violence, we can make sure every NHS member of staff is protected, supported and valued.
“Progress is being made, but we can and must do better. Complacency is always the enemy of change.”
The first ever violence reduction strategy for the NHS, announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock in October, set out how the NHS will work with the police and Crown Prosecution Service on a zero-tolerance approach to ensure offenders are prosecuted quickly and victims are properly supported.
Hospital trusts will have to show what they are doing to tackle violence against staff as part of the CQC’s inspection regime. Support will be offered to trusts who need it to help reduce violence against their employees
Staff will also be provided with better training to deal with a violent situation, including those involving patients with dementia or mental health issues.
Laura Russell, director of campaigns, policy and research at Stonewall, said the results for LGBTQ+ NHS staff were similar to their own study into abuse at work across different sectors.
She said: “No one should have to face abuse at work just for being themselves, but our 2018 Work Report found that one in six LGBT staff (16 per cent) have been the target of negative comments or conduct from customers or clients, while more than a third (35 per cent) have hidden that they are LGBT at work for fear of discrimination.
“Stonewall works with employers through its Diversity Champions programme to develop zero-tolerance policies on homophobic, biphobic and transphobic discrimination, and encourages them to communicate clear routes to report anti-LGBT incidents at work.
“Together we can bring forward the day when every LGBT employee is accepted without exception.”
Sara Gorton, head of health for Unison said that tackling the shocking level of violence against health staff requires more than just warm words.
“Last year’s commitments to reduce harm to staff were welcome, but several months on we are still waiting for details of a comprehensive strategy,” she said.
“We’re not convinced that body-worn cameras are the answer to attacks on ambulance staff. More prosecutions would send out a message that abuse is not tolerated and increased NHS investment in staff would make attacks less likely.
“Understanding what works must start with comprehensive figures, rather than one question on a staff survey, to use as a baseline for recording abuse and measuring progress.”