Rising abuse against health workers sparks fresh call for respect in Emergency Departments

Sara Smyth, a clinical sister in Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department

Healthcare staff across the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Trust) are urging the public to treat frontline workers with respect and understanding, as new figures reveal a sharp rise in violence and aggression towards staff.

With Emergency Departments becoming increasingly busy and wider health services under sustained pressure, the Trust says incidents of abuse are placing further strain on staff already working in challenging conditions.

Figures covering the past five years show there have been more than 6,200 physical attacks on Northern Trust staff, with incidents rising year on year and reaching their highest recorded level in 2024/25.

Sara Smyth, a clinical sister in Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department, said staff are seeing a worrying increase in abusive behaviour.

“While the vast majority of patients using health services are respectful and appreciative towards staff, there is a worrying increase in abusive behaviour. In fact, the number of attacks on staff has increased in recent years.”

Between 2020 and 2025, recorded incidents of violence against healthcare staff rose from 1,082 to 1,560 annually. The cumulative total now stands at 6,226 attacks across the Trust.

Ms Smyth acknowledged that Emergency Department staff regularly care for patients with complex needs and challenging circumstances.

“We recognise that some of our patients have complex health needs, and we understand that this can sometimes affect how they communicate or behave.

“But many of the incidents we experience aren’t because of that. A lot of the time it is just unacceptable behaviour, especially at this time of year.”

Emergency Departments at both Antrim Area Hospital and Causeway Hospital continue to experience high attendance levels, leading to longer waiting times. Ms Smyth said frustration over delays is a common trigger for aggression.

“We know that people can become frustrated when they’ve been waiting a long time, we unfortunately see it almost every day.

“However, when people are abusive or aggressive, it doesn’t just impact us. It means we often have to step away from what we’re doing and sometimes call on another colleague for extra support. All of that makes the wait even longer for every single patient.”

The impact, she stressed, extends beyond staff wellbeing and directly affects patient care.

“We want to look after people, that’s why we’re here, but we need the public’s support to do that. The last thing any of our staff need is abuse.

“Our staff are dedicated professionals who come to work each day to care for our community. We are asking the public to support and show respect to our teams so they can focus on delivering the best possible care, especially when services are under pressure.”

In response to the rising number of incidents, the Northern Trust has been trialling body-worn cameras at Antrim Area Hospital Emergency Department since September. The initiative aims to reduce violence and aggression towards staff while enhancing safety for patients.

The Trust says early indications suggest the trial has delivered positive outcomes for both staff and those attending the department, with cameras acting as a deterrent and providing reassurance in volatile situations.

Attacks on Northern Trust Healthcare Staff (Physical Incidents)

• 2020/2021: 1,082

• 2021/2022: 1,169

• 2022/2023: 1,081

• 2023/2024: 1,334

• 2024/2025: 1,560

  
  

  Total: 6,226

Health leaders continue to stress that abuse of staff is never acceptable and are urging the public to remember that respect and patience play a vital role in keeping Emergency Departments functioning safely and effectively for everyone.