‘Heroic leadership’ has prevented action on staff violence, says CEO

A “heroic” model of leadership has meant the NHS hasn’t made enough progress in tackling violence and aggression against staff and promoting sexual safety, a trust chief has said.

Sam Higginson, chief executive of Royal Devon University Healthcare Foundation Trust, said NHS leaders “probably haven’t done as much as we could have done in the past” to reduce violence and aggression and promote sexual safety.

In an interview with HSJ, Mr Higginson said these safety issues have been raised consistently in the RDUH’s staff surveys, and leaders need to talk about them “a lot more.”

In the latest NHS staff survey, the number of staff reporting physical violence from patients or members of the public was at 13.5 per cent nationally, and 12 per cent at RDUH. This proportion has been falling slightly in recent years but widespread concerns about staff safety remain.

A union has warned recently that NHS England is cutting several national initiatives aimed at reducing violence against staff.

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Source: HSJ, 27 November 2024