NHS Employers responds to new figures from the RCN on violence against A&E staff

Responding to an investigation by the Royal College of Nursing which has revealed that violence against emergency department staff almost doubled since 2019, Rebecca Smith, director of system and social partnership at NHS Employers, said:

“It is deeply worrying to hear nursing staff in A&E departments in England reporting being victims of violent incidents, with violence against emergency department staff almost doubling since 2019.

“No one should have to face violence at work – it is totally unacceptable. These kinds of incidents not only have a huge impact on staff health and wellbeing but also retention of staff as well as NHS services and patient experience. Preventing and reducing violence benefits everyone.  

“The NHS workforce is the engine for NHS reforms and is central to delivering the three shifts in the government’s Ten-Year Health Plan. Health leaders are working incredibly hard to make their organisations safer, but we know there’s still more that must be done.

“Preventing and reducing violence is one of the areas to be included in the new set of standards for staff to be introduced by April 2026 as set out in the Ten-Year Health Plan. We will need to build upon the work led by the Social Partnership Forum and the recommendations they have made to help tackle these challenging issues which we know can be exacerbated by long waits and poorly designed A&E departments.”