Health & Social Care is providing frontline staff with more mental health support and looking to recruit a violence prevention and reduction adviser, after reported incidents rose significantly to reach an average of one for every day of the year.
The world’s largest nurses’ union, which represents nurses in the Bailiwick, was pleased to see HSC taking the growing problem seriously.
‘The Royal College of Nursing supports all action against this type of behaviour and would encourage nurses and health care support workers to raise all incidents with their employer or speak with us,’ said a spokeswoman.
‘Any violence towards any member of staff is unacceptable.
‘It is never just one of those things, and no-one should have to put up with it.’
There were 351 reported incidents of abusive, aggressive or inappropriate behaviour in 2024, up from 275 in 2023. Figures for 2025 have not been finalised but are understood to be higher still.
The harm to staff has included punching, bruising, scratching and pinching, as well as threatening behaviour and intimidation.
‘We recognise that being ill and being in hospital can be a difficult or scary experience, but this is never an excuse to assault staff,’ said the RCN spokeswoman.
‘Staff should be able to go to work without the constant fear that they could be verbally abused, spat at, or in extreme cases, badly injured themselves.’
The RCN is one of four unions trying to secure a pay increase for 2026 for hundreds of States staff on ‘agenda for change’ contracts, who work primarily in health care and social care.
It recently submitted a claim for a one-year deal which would add 5.7% to pay and allowances, having initially approached the States in September ahead of its current pay deal ending at the end of last year.
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