How Common Is Violence Against NHS Staff in England and What Is Being Done to Stop It?
About one in seven respondents reported physical violence in the 2025 NHS Staff Survey. Explore prevention measures and PMVA training for healthcare and care workers.
The short answer: around one in seven respondents experienced physical violence
Violence against NHS staff in England remains a serious workplace safety problem. In the 2025 NHS Staff Survey, 14.47% of respondents reported at least one incident of physical violence from patients or service users, their relatives, or members of the public during the previous 12 months. That is approximately one in seven respondents. The results were published in March 2026 and are the latest national results available at this article’s review date.
A separate measure found that 25.25% — approximately one in four — experienced harassment, bullying or abuse from those same groups. This is a broader category than verbal abuse alone and must not be confused with physical violence. These experiences can overlap, so the percentages should not be added together.
The figures describe the experiences of survey respondents working in the NHS in England. They are not UK-wide statistics, a police-recorded total or a count of individual assaults. A person who experienced several incidents may still be counted once in the percentage reporting at least one incident.
Is violence against NHS workers getting worse?
The patient/public physical-violence measure was 14.38% in 2024 and 13.88% in 2023, compared with 14.47% in 2025. It was 14.82% in 2022. The latest result is therefore slightly higher than the previous year, but it is not a new high across this five-year period. It would be misleading to describe the small year-on-year change as a dramatic surge based on these figures alone.
National averages also cannot tell you the risk on an individual ward, shift or placement. Employers need to examine their own incident data, staff feedback and role-specific risks. The survey separately records violence from managers and colleagues; the patient/public headline does not represent every possible source of workplace violence.
Why prevention matters for patients as well as staff
Being threatened, intimidated or assaulted should not be treated as an unavoidable part of a healthcare job. Safer working environments protect staff and help teams deliver calm, compassionate care. Prevention also means protecting the dignity and rights of people receiving treatment or support.
Pain, distress, confusion or communication difficulties may be relevant to an individual situation. Staff should avoid assumptions about a diagnosis or patient group and follow person-centred assessment and local clinical guidance. Understanding what is happening does not mean accepting violence; it helps teams choose a safer, proportionate response.
For healthcare assistants, support workers, agency carers and hospital security staff, the priority is to recognise concerns early, know when to summon help and work within the responsibilities of the role. Training is one part of that preparation, not a replacement for safe staffing, employer risk assessment or clinical support.
What is the NHS doing to prevent violence and aggression?
NHS England’s Violence Prevention and Reduction Standard, version 2, was published in December 2024. It provides a framework for organisations to assess their arrangements, identify gaps and make continuing improvements. It covers seven domains: leadership and accountability, governance and assurance, collaboration, data, workforce, interventions and evaluation.
This approach goes beyond a ‘zero tolerance’ poster. It links leadership responsibility with staff experience, local evidence and evaluation of whether interventions are working. Employers are expected to support staff to report violence and abuse and feel confident that action will follow.
Practical prevention should be matched to the setting: reviewing where incidents occur, assessing risks, agreeing escalation arrangements, providing relevant training and supporting affected staff. Measures must be reviewed rather than assumed to work simply because they have been introduced.
Reporting incidents, supporting staff and using safety equipment
Clear reporting procedures help employers understand patterns and respond to risks. Staff should know how to raise concerns, record an incident through their organisation’s process and obtain support afterwards. The NHS Staff Survey also asks whether experiences were reported; that is different from counting the incident reports held by an employer.
Body-worn cameras are one example of a safety intervention. NHS England announced a rollout for ambulance crews in 2021. That announcement does not mean cameras are used in every NHS setting or guarantee that they prevent assaults. Any use needs appropriate local arrangements and must sit alongside prevention, reporting and staff support.
If there is immediate danger, prioritise safety and summon emergency help according to the situation and workplace procedures. Afterwards, seek appropriate medical support, inform the responsible manager and follow local incident-reporting and safeguarding processes. Nobody should feel pressured to manage a dangerous situation alone.
What legal protection exists for NHS staff?
The Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018 creates an offence for common assault or battery against an emergency worker acting in the exercise of their functions. The maximum sentence on indictment is two years’ imprisonment. Whether an individual NHS worker and incident fall within the Act depends on the legal definition and circumstances.
This is not a claim that every NHS employee or every abusive remark automatically falls under that offence. Decisions about investigation and prosecution belong to the appropriate authorities. Legal protection is important, but it does not remove an employer’s responsibility to prevent harm and support staff.
How can PMVA training help healthcare and care workers?
PMVA stands for Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression. Its value is not simply learning physical techniques: prevention, communication, risk awareness and de-escalation come first. Relevant training can help learners practise recognising escalating behaviour, responding calmly and knowing when to seek support.
Security Training London’s PMVA syllabus covers law and human rights, behaviours of concern, prevention strategies, verbal and non-verbal de-escalation, breakaway techniques, physical intervention and restraint reduction, plus post-incident recording and reflection. Practical learning is supervised; physical intervention is a last resort and must remain within the law, role-specific training and employer policy.
The course may be relevant to healthcare assistants, mental-health support workers, social care and agency staff, as well as people facing aggression in other workplaces. The aim is to prepare for challenging situations while respecting the person receiving care — not to label all healthcare settings or patients as hostile.
Do you need PMVA to work for the NHS?
There is no single course acceptance rule that can be assumed for every NHS job. Requirements depend on the employer, service, role and level of risk. A vacancy or agency may specify a particular training programme, certification standard, refresher interval or employer-delivered induction.
Before booking private training for an NHS application or agency placement, ask the recruiting employer exactly what it accepts. Share the syllabus and certificate details and confirm whether any additional workplace training is needed. Completing this course does not guarantee NHS employment, acceptance by an NHS trust or permission to perform restraint at work.
For people preparing for healthcare and care work in London, PMVA can be a practical way to develop relevant awareness and supervised skills. Make the decision around the needs of your intended role, rather than assuming that a certificate alone is a route into a job.
The bottom line: safer care takes more than one course
The latest NHS Staff Survey shows that violence and abuse remain significant concerns in England. The response needs leadership, risk assessment, reporting, staff support, appropriate interventions and ongoing evaluation — alongside training that fits the setting.
If you work in healthcare or social care, or are applying for a patient-facing role, explore our PMVA course and discuss your employer’s requirements with us before reserving a place. Employers and agencies can also enquire about training for their teams. A prevention-first approach helps keep the focus where it belongs: safer staff, safer patients and respectful care.
Prepare for challenging healthcare and care environments
Explore our 3 Days PMVA training in London for £300 all-inclusive. Build de-escalation, risk-awareness and supervised practical skills, with a certificate on successful completion.
Before booking for an NHS or agency role, confirm your employer accepts the course and certificate. Training does not guarantee a job or replace employer-specific requirements.