Request
I am currently writing a dissertation on ‘Violence against emergency staff at UK hospitals’. I have searched the internet but am unable to find any figures either overall for the country or for specific hospitals so am contacting each Strategic Health Authority.
I would like to look at these figures, comparing the cross-sectional results for different regions as well as comparing different weeks of the year. This will help me find any patterns and which areas are worst affected.
Would it be possible for you to let me have access to this information for either specific hospitals or overall in your region? It doesn’t necessarily have to be the most recent year and anything would be helpful! I would be more than happy to share my results with you and if any information needs to be kept confidential I would of course respect that.
Our Response
I refer to your email requesting information in respect of violence against emergency department staff in the East Midlands.
I can confirm in accordance with S.1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) that we do not hold the information that you have requested.
However, Section 16 of FOIA places a duty upon us to provide advice and assistance to applicants where this is possible. I would therefore advise you to contact individual Trust’s and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in the East Midlands for the information that you require. The following link to our website will enable you to do this:-
http://www.eastmidlands.nhs.uk/the-local-nhs/nhs-organisations/
You might also want to visit the Health and Safety Executive website which has a section on violence at work. The link is attached below:-
http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/index.htm
Finally, I have attached a link to the NHS Business Services Agency which provides figures on violence against NHS staff which might be of use to you:-
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/SecurityManagement/2286.aspx
I hope that this information is of use. If you are dissatisfied with the way in which we have dealt with your request you can ask us to review our decision by writing to:-
Mr Kevin Orford
Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Finance
NHS East Midlands
Octavia House
Interchange Business Park
Bostock's Lane
Sandiacre
Nottingham
NG10 5QG
If at the conclusion of any review you remain dissatisfied you may complain to the Information Commissioner who can be contacted at:-
The Office of the Information Commissioner
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
