Barking, Havering, and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust responds to rising violence against staff with stricter measures

Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHR Hospitals) in east London has introduced new measures aimed at tackling escalating violence and abuse against its staff. The trust, which operates Queen’s Hospital in Romford and King George Hospital in Ilford, reported that assaults on staff have more than doubled over the past three years, with incidents ranging from physical attacks to severe verbal abuse and racist slurs.

In response, BHR Hospitals is making it easier for staff to “red card” or ban abusive patients from its hospitals when deemed clinically safe. Previously, the complex process led to only one patient being banned in the past five years. Additionally, staff working in the trust’s A&E and frailty units will now wear 60 new body-worn video cameras to enhance safety and deter abuse. The trust is also strengthening training and increasing the presence of security officers.

In January alone, 75 incidents of violence and aggression were recorded at the trust, compared to 36 in January 2021. Annual staff surveys further reflect this troubling trend, with 14.5% of employees reporting experiences of violence and aggression from those in their care.

Staff have shared harrowing experiences as part of the trust’s new “No Abuse, No Excuse” campaign. Nurse Yvonne Ihekwoakba recounted being punched in the stomach by a patient, resulting in a trip to A&E. Security officer Mohammed Islam described being kicked in the jaw, breaking his teeth, and facing significant challenges in returning to work. Theo Kayode-Osiyemi from the appointments team detailed enduring repeated racial abuse, with one patient telling him to “go to the jungle.”

Chief Executive Matthew Trainer underscored the urgency of the trust’s measures: “Our staff should not be shouted at, hit, or subjected to racist abuse while doing their job. It’s happening more and more often… and we are taking action to respond to their concerns. Our message couldn’t be simpler: no abuse, no excuse.”

The campaign coincides with alarming data showing a 40% rise in violence against ambulance crews across London in the past year, averaging two assaults on emergency workers per day. Londoners have been urged to treat all frontline medical staff with “kindness and respect.”