The highest number of NHS staff assault claims out of all NHS Trusts in England was recorded at Mersey Care NHS Trust. 

A report from a law firm, Legal Expert, found that the NHS has paid out £20.7 million in NHS staff assault claims in the last five years, for a total of 1,017 claims since 2019.

“These figures are extremely concerning. Nobody should have to feel threatened at work,” said the firm’s solicitor, Patrick Mallon. 

The firm submitted a freedom of information request to NHS Resolution, the legal body of the NHS. It asked for the number of claims and incidents of staff assaults within each NHS trust in England. It also requested information on the number of legal claims that had been closed or settled as well as the amount of damages paid out per trust.

The largest damages payouts awarded for such claims was recorded by Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which amounted to £1.2 million for 10 claims. The trust, which has locations in Brighton, Hove, East and West Sussex, recorded 20 claims and incidents of NHS staff assaults in total since 2019.

In England, the highest number of NHS staff assault claims out of 236 NHS Trusts was recorded at Mersey Care NHS Trust. A total of 62 assaults had claims awarded within Mersey Care since 2019 and it paid out £1.15 million – the second highest in England.