The latest NHS Staff Survey finds that almost 1 in 7 NHS staff in England (14.47%) were physically attacked by a patient or member of the public in the past year — the highest rate recorded in three years. More than 766,000 NHS workers responded to the survey, one of the world’s largest workplace surveys, which has run since 2003.
The survey also recorded a sharp rise in reports of unwanted sexual behaviour by patients or the public, with nearly one in three ambulance staff (31%) affected. Nearly 1 in 10 staff (9.26%) said they experienced discrimination from patients or members of the public, another record high.
On more positive measures, 87.78% of respondents said their job made a difference to patients. However, the share of staff who would recommend their workplace slipped slightly to 58.05%, down from 60.79% in 2024.
Danny Mortimer, Director General (People) for NHS England, said the results paint a worrying picture of the abuse faced by NHS staff and stressed that staff safety and wellbeing must be prioritised. He urged that people feel confident to report any unwanted incidents and said the NHS must do more to support staff and address everyday pressures — such as access to decent food during night shifts — that affect wellbeing. Mortimer noted that staff have worked hard to sustain services and improve performance, and it is now essential for the NHS to deliver improvements for its workforce.
The full staff survey and related materials are available from the NHS Staff Surveys website: https://www.nhsstaffsurveys.com/
