Written question WQ93955

Our emergency workers deliver crucial and transformative care daily, often under challenging conditions. Any form of abuse is completely unacceptable and we are doing everything we can to work with NHS Wales employers and our partner agencies to eradicate both physical or verbal assaults on our NHS staff.

In 2021 the With Us, Not Against Us campaign was launched by the Joint Emergency Service Group in Wales to try and reduce the number of assaults on emergency workers. The campaign sought to create a safer working environment for emergency workers by fostering a culture of respect and understanding among the public.

In Wales we have the NHS Wales Anti-Violence Collaborative (AVC). The AVC is made up of representatives from NHS Wales, the Police, CPS, Welsh Government and trade unions. The AVC are committed to support NHS Wales and Emergency Services organisations to reduce and manage incidents of violence and aggression against NHS staff. Earlier this year, the Welsh Government hosted the relaunch of the Obligatory Response to Violence in partnership with NHS Wales, the Police and the CPS which promotes incident reporting and clarifies roles and responsibilities of all partners when a violent incident has occurred.

The AVC are also working to introduce Violence Reduction Standards in NHS Wales, with effective liaison with the other UK nations. This will provide opportunities for organisations to undertake self-assessment and develop improvement strategies.